


Opal, Ruby, Sapphire AU | Steven Universe

by Tatttletale



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2020-03-08 12:29:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18894667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatttletale/pseuds/Tatttletale
Summary: Hoping to rewrite some key scenes with Garnet, Amethyst and/or Pearl as Opal, Ruby and/or Sapphire! Current chapters:✧ Opal fuses for the first time and joins the Crystal Gems.✧ Opal fights alongside the Crystal Gems in the Gem War.✧ On a mission to find the Earth Beetle, Steven meets the long-awaited Garnet.✧ Amethyst and Pearl reunite on the Hand Ship, and Opal kicks Jasper's butt! . . . Kinda literally.✧ The Zoo Arc— Steven dreams of a broken pink palanquin. . . and though Opal and Sapphire warn him not to go near it, who's going to tell a teenager what he should and shouldn't do?— The Crystal Gems sneak into Pink Diamond's Zoo under the guise of a visiting Homeworld Elite and her personal guard.— Famethyst shenanigans, a Diamond encounter and a daring escape. . . with a little Opal spice, of course.✧ Steven and Opal fuse in order to combat the Diamond mech.





	1. Something Entirely New

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT: "can u also do opal's first time being fused?" — for HT Guest on FanFiction! Hope you enjoy! :)

Five thousand, seven hundred and fifty years ago—that's 3737 BC, for humans—Earth was a flourishing planet, a viable new colony under Pink Diamond's rule; but resisting the productive regime was a small rebel group, no more than a dozen or so defective Gems.

        The rebellion was still in its early stages but regardless it was causing problems, and so Blue Diamond, in the other's aid, came to Earth to assist in the various courtly duties. One of these functions was a reading by one of her Sapphires, and hopefully the ending of the rebellion.

        Accompanying this aristocratic Gem was her Pearl and a guard of three Rubies. Standing sentry to Blue Diamond's palanquin were two Quartz soldiers, a Jasper and a defective Amethyst, created on that very colony.

        The Sapphire dismissed her Pearl and she stepped back, standing silently outside as the blue Gem went forward.

        The reading was quick and precise. The Sapphire told her Diamond exactly what she wanted to hear — that a small group of rebels, maybe five or six Gems, would attack the Sky Arena on which they stood, and a selection of loyal Gems would have their physical forms destroyed, but the rebels would be captured and the rebellion ended.

        The Amethyst guard, hearing this statement, found herself unsettled. Under Blue Diamonds' advisory rule, the rebels would surely be shattered. She didn't think Gems deserved to be murdered for something as simple as this—as standing up for and protecting their planet. She found it to be rather beautiful herself; she still had much to see, but it saddened her that the production of Gems would mean the destruction of the colony she was made on.

        When she looked up again, she noticed that the Sapphire had resigned herself to her post across the palanquin, Pearl standing sentry beside her. Amethyst found herself gazing at the Pearl. Her unfaceted Gem glinted in the sunlight, and when she blinked, Amethyst noticed her sky-blue eyes, lucid and wide. The Pearl must have felt her gaze because it was at that moment she turned her face and met her eyes; Amethyst coloured and looked down at her limb enhancers. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her lips quirk up in a smile.

        The Court was silent, awaiting the foretold disruption. It was mere seconds from this interaction before a cry rang out.

        "Blue Diamond, leave this planet! This colony will  _not_  be completed!"

        One of the Rubies gasped. "It's the rebels!"

        "Who are you?" called another one.

        "Show yourselves!"

        Amethyst turned. Two Gems hovered near the pinnacle of a nearby spire—a Sapphire, and Rose Quartz, the leader of the rebellion.

        "We are the Crystal Gems!" the Sapphire cried. It was Rose Quartz who had spoken before—and now, she raised her shield above her head, and with a scuffle another half dozen Gems scattered from behind the pillar, wielding their weapons.

        With clumsy enhanced fingers, Amethyst summoned her lasso. In her periphery she could see the Rubies fusing, leaving the Pearl to usher her Sapphire away; but from the way she was moving, it seemed she might be blind. She stumbled daintily, holding her skirts with one hand and clutching tightly onto the Pearl's arm with the other.

        Before Amethyst could do much as raise her weapon, the rebels were swarming the arena, and the gems of Court members were tinkling to the ground. There was a pink flash above her head, and Amethyst spun around just in time to see Rose Quartz skilfully dismantle the Ruby fusion. The rebel Sapphire followed in her wake, gaze pointedly fixed on her stumbling former equal. With something like a snarl, she swept her hands outwards, and a sheet of smooth ice spread across the arena grounds. The ice shot straight towards the other Sapphire, and she slipped, fringe falling away from her face to reveal the gem where her eye should have been.

        Her Pearl froze, eyes trained on her fallen superior, before she glanced up and at the offending rebel. Her gem ignited and from it she pulled a pearlescent spear. Widening her stance, she stepped in front of the vulnerable Sapphire, wielding her weapon. Amethyst could see it was clear she had absolutely no previous experience in combat.

        With decision, she dashed forward, limb enhancers clunking loudly against stone. The offending Sapphire turned and unleashed another sheet of ice, sending her slipping and sliding straight past them all. Finally she lost her balance and slumped to the ground.

        From her sprawled position she could see that Rose Quartz had joined the Sapphire and, raising her infamous sword in favour of the powerful shield, she advanced towards the vulnerable pair. Frantically, Amethyst tried to scramble up, but she found her limb enhancers were just as useless as immobile chunks of metal.

        Now the Pearl was cowering, backing up against her Sapphire. With finality, Amethyst remotely deactivated her forearm enhancers and punched the catches on her knees, scrambling out of the useless prosthetics.

        Propelling herself as fast as she could go, she aimed for the Sapphire, but slipped on the ice and instead crashed into the Pearl. There was a brief moment of nothing, and  _everything_ , and then someone new opened her eyes.

        This new Gem glanced around herself, startled, and then down at four splayed, periwinkle palms. An amethyst glinted on her chest. On a whim, she raised a hand to her forehead, smoothing fingers over the inset pearl. The breeze ruffled her hair and a pale lock fell into her eyes.

        "What. . .?" she found herself saying. She didn't recognise her voice—which was the strangest thing—but she  _belonged_  to it. She gazed down at her feet,  _en pointe_ , clad in a calf-length boot, and a thigh-high stocking and matching slipper, respectively. "What is . . . this? Is it. . . me—?"

        She heard movement and murmuring voices, and then a gust of wind. When she looked up, she saw Rose Quartz and her Sapphire arcing away across the sky. Disorienting bootsteps echoed around her.

        Losing herself, she split apart, and Amethyst gazed up at the Pearl from her knees. Her eyes were wide, her chest heaving.

         _"Amethyst."_

        She whipped around. The serene, hooded figure inside the palanquin sat up straighter. "You interrupted Sapphire's course of fate. You  _fused_  with her  _Pearl_."

        She felt herself go cold. "My— My Clarity, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean—"

        "You are already defective," the Diamond hissed. "You may be a member of Pink Diamond's Court, but that does  _not_  mean that you may violate the rules. You interfered with Court proceedings, you removed your limb enhancers and you  _fused_  with my Sapphire's Pearl. How dare you fuse with a member of my Court?"

        "My Clarity, I—"

        "You will be  _broken_  for this."

        The Gems around her began to advance. Amethyst found she was frozen.

        She felt a hand on her arm and looked up. The aforementioned Pearl stood and, looking around in a flighty sort of way, she grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to her feet. She summoned her spear and held it unsteadily in her left hand, waving it at the advancing Gems.

         Her actions were enough to give a moment's pause—Pearls were not combat Gems, and the mere fact that she had summoned her weapon in the midst of a proceeding with no genuine means meant that clearly, she had defected as well. Who would defend an overcooked embarrassment?

        "And the Pearl too," came Blue Diamond's voice.

        The Pearl's grip grew tighter.

        "Run with me," she whispered.

        Amethyst stayed stock still, uncomprehending, until her companion swung her spear at a group of Gems and they were hit with a blast of bright light.

        The Pearl looked surprised but didn't hesitate. She darted forward and, with surprising strength, yanked Amethyst along with her. Everything dissolved into a blur of shouts and flashes—and then her feet left the ground.

        When she regained focus, they were hurtling, hand in hand, towards the earth below. When she looked up, she saw the Sky Arena shrinking above them.

        "Uhhhh," she yelled over the whistling wind. "How are we going to get down from here?"

        "Fall," the Pearl said simply.

        "Uh— right, haha, yeah, and what's your  _real_  plan?"

        When she locked eyes with her companion, she could see there was no humour in her eyes.

        In her sky-blue, lucid eyes.

✧✧✧

After poofing, Amethyst remained in her Gem for six long hours, fearing the revelation that her gem had been found. Finally, she reformed, and found lying next to her in the grass a smooth, white ellipsoid. Tentatively, she took it into her hands and stood, deciding to stumble off into the trees and find shelter.

        Forty minutes later she sat by a bundle of wet twigs, having given up on lighting them. She had heard once that Gems responded well to light and heat exposure—she couldn't remember where. But, as much as she tried, she couldn't seem to get the damn things to do more than smoke—so she had to wait, alone, wet from the rain outside.

        It seemed like years later when Pearl finally reformed—and when she did, she found herself alone by a blazing fire. Subconsciously, she leaned forward, bringing her gem closer to the flames.

        There was a crunching of twigs underfoot and Amethyst came into view, arms full of twigs and thicker branches. Upon seeing the reformed Gem, she dropped her load, surprised.

        Pearl gestured to the fire. "Thank you."

        Amethyst ducked beneath her hair to hide her eyes. "S'fine. It took me a week. Only just got it going." She bent and gathered a few of the dropped sticks. When she straightened again, balancing branches, her expression was serious. "What you did was really stupid."

        Pearl looked shocked for a second, and then laughed. "I suppose it was . . . outlandish."

        " _Outlandish?_  We could've shattered!"

        "But we didn't," Pearl replied calmly, and leaned closer to the fire, holding out her hands to the comfortable heat. "And here we are, sheltered and safe."

        Amethyst was quiet for a moment. ". . . Thank you."

        "You're welcome."

        The curt reply tugged something inside her chest; something between annoyance and intrigue.

        "Sooo. . ." She set the wood down by the fire and sat down. "Do you— _did_  you . . . get out much?"

        Pearl thought for a moment. "No. My Sapphire was made defective, so she can't see. She never left her chambers if she could help it—and, of course, she needed me around to help her."

        ". . . Do you think she'll be okay without you?"

        Pearl's answer was quick. "It doesn't take many resources to make a Pearl. She can just order another whenever she wants."

        "Is that. . . really how it works?" Amethyst felt reserved. "Higher Gems just. . . order Pearls? Like. . . like materials?"

        "Yes," Pearl replied. Her expression was distant. "That's the way it's always been. Pearls are products—accessories. We were never meant to have lives of our own."

        The cave fell silent, save for the gentle crackling of the fire.

        Crickets chirped outside—not that the pair knew anything about the local organic life.

        When Amethyst found the strength to lock eyes with her companion again, she spoke softly. "Well. . . you have the chance to live your own life now."

        Pearl stayed silent, and Amethyst felt her chest clench. "I mean. . . you are staying here, aren't you?"

        The sky-blue eyes flicked to her. "Are you?"

        She thought for a moment. ". . . Yeah. I can't go back now."

        "Then neither can I," the pale Gem replied simply.

        Amethyst frowned.

        "Is that all? Are you just. . . going to follow  _me_  around?" She felt fire in her chest. "Do you ever think for yourself?"

        Pearl blinked at her. "I was never allowed to."

        Immediately she felt her heart sink. "Oh, uh— I'm sorry."

        A few seconds ticked by.

        "But, what you did in the Sky Arena. . . no one told you to do that."

        Pearl immediately returned her gaze to the fire, her lips a tight line. Her expression darkened. "I've been defective for a long time, now. I know I shouldn't be acting like this. That's. . . That's why I did what I did. I'm fit to be shattered."

        Amethyst almost choked. " _What?_  That's what you believe?"

        "It's what my Sapphire believed," she said. "The one before."

        Amethyst felt sick. "She taught you that?"

        "She—" her hand drifted to cover her mouth, and she shook her head.

        Amethyst noticed the hand was shaking.

        Timidly, she scooted around the fire and sat beside her, laying a hand over her pale fingers. ". . . And what about me?"

        The hand over Pearl's mouth was ripped away. " _You?_  What do you mean?"

        "Well, it's kinda obvious. I'm overcooked." She splayed her stubby fingers and held her hand before her. "See?"

        Pale, dainty fingers enveloped her own and she looked up at the other Gem. Her blue eyes were thoughtful.

        "You're small, but you're just as powerful as a standard Quartz," she said. "You align perfectly with your purpose."

        Amethyst recoiled. "Is that all you care about? A Gem's purpose?"

        "We are only created to serve our purposes," Pearl replied.

        They stared at each other for a long time, neither one daring to speak. Finally Amethyst stood and retreated into the darkness at the back of the cave.

        It was hours later when the reproachful Pearl finally joined her.

✧✧✧

Opal stood on unsteady toes, gazing down at four dainty periwinkle hands.

        Silently, she reflected on their relationship—on herself. It had only been a week since Pearl's stumbling apology in the cave, and Amethyst's stemmed conversation, and from there the two Gems had found themselves growing closer each day.

        They usually spent their time exploring the new world around them—picking flowers, observing organics, watching the days and nights pass and above all stumbling along in this new experience together. The question of fusing again had been raised multiple times—mainly by Amethyst—and only recently had Pearl come to terms with the idea. And now, here she stood, a fusion, an amalgam of two polar entities.

        The first thing she noticed was how complicated it suddenly became to  _move_. Her movements were directed by thoughts, and her thoughts were still whirling and divided.

        She took a few experimental steps, left foot wobbling unsteadily, and braced herself against a tree when she stumbled—with one hand. Removing that hand without flexing the others proved to be a challenge, though.

        And so she progressed, three steps forward, two steps back. Figuratively, of course. The fusion was in no shape to go back-pedalling around the lush biome.

        By the fiftieth step (five was a solid, reliable number), she found she could progress with certain balance and a straight back.  _Correct form is always important._  Now that she had walking mastered, she stopped, searching for the next most suitable course of action.

        A sharp  _crack!_  behind her had Amethyst whirling, and Pearl's graceful ankles wobbled and gave out with the sudden movement. Opal fell back into a clump of bushes, and then found herself passing through them and rolling (in an incredibly undignified manner!) down the previously concealed slope. When her body came to a halt on flat ground, she cautiously pushed herself up, and came face-to-face (quite literally) with the comparatively short rebel Sapphire.

        The Quartz inside her noticed immediately that the renegade's gem was glowing, ready for combat.

        Opal launched herself back, flipping gracefully onto tiptoes and then promptly collapsing again to the grass.

        "Don't hurt her!" she cried, and then paused, puzzled. "Don't hurt. . . us? . . . me?"

        The Sapphire remained for the most part unfazed, though her mouth hung open a little in surprise. "The fusion. . ."

        "We didn't mean to fuse!" she argued. ". . . Before. But that. . . we did this time, but we— I'll stop, I'll. . ."

        "No no, please."

        The soothing voice cut her off mid-rant and the fusion lifted her head, finding two deep fuchsia eyes fixed on her.

        "I'm glad to see you again," said Rose Quartz.

        Opal inwardly cringed, but the calm voice had her lowering her defences. All those tales about the defective Quartz. . . they all portrayed her so violent, so cold. But this Gem. . . she was nothing like the image that had been painted of the rebellion's leader.

        "I don't . . . upset you?" the fusion asked doubtfully.

        Rose Quartz laughed. "Who cares about how  _I_  feel! How you feel is sure to be  _much_  more interesting."

        She found herself lost for words. No one had ever asked her—asked  _them_ —how they felt. One part of her suspected this might be some sort of rhetorical question, a joke; but the other part welcomed those genuine, interested eyes.

        "How  _I_  feel. . .?" she murmured. She gasped softly, feeling something like fear constrict in her chest, and clamped a hand over her mouth— but then she relaxed, soothed by the mellow conversation inside herself.

        "Well, I feel. . . lost, and confused. . . and afraid. . . but happy. I don't. . . how can I be so sure that this is what I want? A moment ago, I didn't know. . . Pearl. . . but now I want to. Now, I want to stay this way. How can I feel so content denying my purpose?"

        The tall pink Quartz laughed again, and her Sapphire smiled complacently along with her. "Welcome to Earth."

        How long had the rebellion been functioning for, again? Just how long had Rose Quartz been here?

        She seemed so confident in what she wanted, in what she thought was right—perhaps she had the answers Opal needed.

        The fusion scrambled to her feet. "Can you. . . Can you tell me, why did Pearl choose to defect for another Gem she didn't know? Why. . . How could Amethyst come to know. . . and  _feel_  about this, without ever having experienced it? What. . . What am I? Do I have a purpose?"

        Her voice was starting to take on a panicked tone and Rose hurriedly stepped in with a sharp order. "No more questions."

        Both of the components fell silent, complying with the command, blinking up at her owlishly. The Quartz's face softened.

        "Please, don't ever question this." And, unprincipled, she stepped forward and took two of Opal's hands in her own, and gazed up into her wide eyes. "You already  _are_  the answer."

        The forest seemed to fall still. The fusion's gaze dropped from the shorter Gem's open face to her hands held in creamy fingers, and she contemplated.

_Me? Us? The answer?_

_What does she mean?_

_How can a cross-Gem fusion, noncompliant of moral directives, be the solution to such a complicated web of interrelated events?_

        She lifted her eyes to rest on the renegade Sapphire standing reservedly a few paces away.

        She smiled, gave a knowing nod and lifted her hands to form a shape.

        A shape with two rounded sides and a downward point.

        A heart. ****


	2. War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT: "Please do a chapter of Opal fighting against homeworld gems during the gem civil war" — for HT Guest on FanFiction! Hope you enjoy! :)

_"Do you think you can summon your own weapon?"_

_Opal raised her eyes to the pink-haired Quartz, dipping her head to smell a blossoming flower. The fusion remained on the ground, her legs crossed, fingers laced in her lap. "I don't know. I've barely come to myself."_

_"Well, you— Pearl and Amethyst have weapons, don't they?" she asked, hopefully, and gazed at the rose in thought._

_"Yes . . . I think so," the fusion mulled. "And of course. Amethyst is a Quartz, and Pearls are manufactured to protect their owners in extreme circumstances."_

_Rose turned away from the blossoming bush and crouched down. "May I see them?"_

_The fusion nodded, activating her gemstones and drawing from them a pearlescent spear and a crystal-studded whip._

_Rose gasped in delight and took them into her hands. "A spear! And look at this whip! Three tails—what a rarity."_

_Opal coloured. "It's really nothing special."_

_"Of course it is!" Rose gushed. "Quartzes most often share weapon choice with Rubies!—the only other Gem I've ever seen with one of these is an Agate. Amethyst is one special Gem." She paused for a moment, brow furrowing as her eyes drifted over the weapons. "Perhaps you can . . . combine them?"_

_"I . . . I could try," the fusion admitted, and gently took the weapons back. Using her second pair of hands to push herself to her feet, she straightened, and tried to piece them together._

_Needless to say, that didn't work._

_She tried again, and then, upon Rose's suggestion, crashed them together in some attempt of force-fusion. The weapons defiantly kept their form._

_"Ah, well . . . that's alright," Rose soothed. "I'm sure that even without a fusion weapon, you'll be just as amazing with the original ones."_

_At that moment, a cry echoed from beyond the clearing._

_In a flash of light, Rose was wielding her sword and hefting her shield in front of her._

_"Stay here," she told the fusion. "I'll be back as soon as I can. If they get past us, hide."_

_And in a flutter of skirts and ringlets, she shot into the air and disappeared beyond the canopy._

✧✧✧

Opal now stood in the middle of the fray, berating herself. Her Quartz side had compelled her to join the fight and protect her friends, and now she hadn't the faintest idea of how to help.

        Avoiding attacks was no problem. With her newfound increased agility and speed, she could easily sidestep most offences, but that wasn't exactly helping the Crystal Gems. Standing tall, she scanned the turmoil, sighting a flash of pink in the distance.

         _Rose._

        Steeling herself, she took running start and entered a flying leap. She flew through the air, ponytail trailing behind her, and landed softly on a small patch of vacant earth.

        The Quartz was nowhere to be seen. Turning, she glimpsed the flash of her tailored sword over the heads of the battling Gems, and sighed, running back the way she had come.

        Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a huge orange Gem ploughing towards her, and executed a series of graceful flips, landing right next to the renegade Sapphire.

         _"Opal!"_

        Rose's panicked cry was cut short as the clash of combat filled the air. The fusion whipped around.

        Rose was holding her own against a barrage of military Gems, straining to uphold her expansive shield. The look she shot her over her shoulder was fearful.

        "I told you to stay hidden!"

        Opal said nothing, instead summoning her spear and whip and bending her knees.

        A few paces to the left, a Gem disappeared in a cloud of residue, and the fusion launched her spear at the attacker, poofing her, and darted over to snatch up the gems. She paused for a moment, contemplating, before phasing them through her forehead gem and whirling back to her companions.

        "Sapphire, stay behind me," Rose ordered, and the smaller Gem scampered up to her, the two almost immediately enveloped in a big, pink bubble. The shield dissipated, and the crush of Gems swarmed around the bubble, hacking at it with clunky weapons.

        From where she stood, Opal noticed Sapphire cuddling closer to their leader, bunching her fists in her skirts, and murmuring something. Seemingly in reply, Rose nodded and, gritting her teeth with effort, thrust her arms out, expanding and popping the bubble and sending the crowd flying.

        They immediately disappeared from view in another onslaught of Gems.

        Something flashed in Opal's periphery and in a split second she flipped herself into the air and over the newest wave of Gems. Landing gracefully and turning, she found a befuddled green Gem staring at her, weapon idle in their hands.

        Back to back with her leader, Opal skilfully lassoed with her whip and thrust with her spear, driving Gems back into the fray. Minutes seemed to blur as they circled together, advancing on the enemy's frontline.

         _"Ah!— No! Please!"_

        Opal's gaze darted to a small blue Gem in a faraway clearing, lined with ice. Her eyes flared as she noticed the Hessonite standing above her, brandishing an effervescent sword.

        "Sapphire," Rose gasped behind her, having heard the call. "Sapphire! Where are you?"

        The faraway Gem's palm glinted as she raised it in defence.

        Opal hurriedly calculated the distance between them and glanced down at her weapons.  _There are too many Gems—I can't make it in time._  Looking up, she saw others advancing on her friend.  _Spears are single use. I can't use them._

        There was no time to think. Without even considering what she was doing, Opal threw her arms up and brought her weapons together in a blaze of light. Following the feeling simmering in her gems, she brought the thing down, steadying it with two straight arms, and pulled back the newly viable string.

        She zeroed in on her target and bit her lip, bringing a blaze of energy forward, manifesting it against the thing in her hands. Hands buzzing with energy, she saw the Hessonite's sword slash down, and released the string—

        A blazing arrow arced over the sea of Gems and, seemingly of its own accord, split into a dozen smaller shards, fishtailing off into different directions and impacting multiple Gems. They all froze for a moment, seemingly holding their breath, and then Opal's vision was obscured by a huge shimmering cloud.

        When the residue cleared, she pinpointed Sapphire shivering on the ground, surrounded by sweeps of blade-like icicles.

        Multiple gemstones glinted on the ground around her.

✧✧✧

"You were amazing."

        Rose pressed a final kiss to the top of Sapphire's head, prompting a blue flush to blossom on her cheeks. Rose turned, smiling warmly at Opal. "Thank you. I'm sorry I doubted you."

        "I can't blame you," she replied, still dazed. "I would have doubted me, too."

        There was a moment of silence.

        "Thank you."

        Opal's eyes dropped to Sapphire, nestled in the grass. The Gem tilted her head and her fringe shifted, revealing one big, blue eye. "Thank you for saving me."

        After a surprised pause, Opal quirked her lips in return. "You're welcome."

        "We need to move out," Rose said, and stood. "The others are recovering over there. I'll go and tell them we're leaving."

        "Wait."

        Rose stopped in her tracks and turned. Sapphire gazed timidly up at her.

        "Please . . . I need to rest. I think . . . we all should rest."

        Rose looked sceptical. "We can't. We're not safe here."

        "I agree with Sapphire," Opal intervened, and the two shot her surprised looks. "Everyone needs a rest. The Homeworld forces know where we are, but it will be a while before their troops get back to report, and even longer before they send another battalion. We're safe for the next few days."

        Rose paused, glancing at Sapphire, Opal, and then back at the collected Crystal Gems. After a moment, she sighed. "Alright, but we need to find some shelter."

        "Thank you," the fusion smiled, and Rose replied with a good-natured nod before moving off to the others.

        Opal and Sapphire were left alone.

        The fusion lowered herself onto the grass and crossed her legs. Feeling someone's gaze on her, she glanced over at the smaller Gem.

        Sapphire averted her gaze and flushed, ducking her head. Her fringe fell back to cover her eye.

        Opal smiled and laid back in the grass, giving a contented sigh. Focusing on the heat of the dappled sunlight dancing across her skin, she closed her eyes and drifted off to the sound of the breeze-ruffled trees.


	3. Regular-Sized Giant Woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT: "How about Steven meeting Garnet first time? It would be cute to see it!" — for Annabel184 on Wattpad! Hope you enjoy! :)

"It's not MY fault the Earth Beetle isn't here. Why do you have to be so cold?" Ruby spat.

        "I wouldn't have to be if you weren't so hot-headed," Sapphire fired back.

        Behind Steven, the adopted fox began to whine in distress, and Steven rushed between the feuding Gems. "Hey, guys! C'mon, stop it! You're scaring Steven Junior!"

        At that moment, there was a deep rumbling. Steven glanced up in fear at the cavern ceiling, dripping with dagger-like stalactites.

        Then, quick as a flash, shooting up through the rocky crust from the soil below came a gigantic worm-like creature with a hideous mouth full of tiny, razor-sharp teeth. In one fluid movement, it arced down towards the fox and smashed into it, disappearing into the new crater-sized tunnel.

        Steven blinked back tears. "My son. . ."

        "Quick, guys, in here!" Ruby called from the stairwell temple, and Sapphire grabbed Steven and zipped inside.

        The temple boomed as something crashed into the paved floor from underneath, and an unearthly shriek echoed through the cavern.

        Steven whipped around to the two Gems. "Guys, this is the perfect time to form Garnet! C'mon!"

        He sat cross-legged in anticipation. Sharing dejected looks, Ruby and Sapphire stood in the middle of the room, and, closing their eyes, activated their gems, the ghostly light from Sapphire's pushing back the fiery glow from the lava pools outside.

        Gingerly, they interlocked hands and began stepping in time. Steven clapped excitedly and Sapphire turned towards him but was immediately jerked back and sent into a dizzying spin by Ruby, who was setting a fast pace. When Sapphire regained her composure, her hand tightened around Ruby's and she set her red hand on her own hip, trying to lead in a slow waltz; but Ruby was still caught up in her energetic tango and flung that same hand (and Sapphire's with it) to their left, marching them towards Steven.

        Sapphire resisted and pulled her back, trying to remain in the centre of the room, and Ruby stumbled and stepped on her long blue skirts, throwing Sapphire off-balance and sending her tumbling back onto Ruby's bracing arm, which didn't hold and sent them both crashing to the floor. They disappeared in a blaze of light, which rose and slimmed, wobbling, struggling to stay together—

        With a burst the light disappeared, leaving Ruby and Sapphire on the floor together. Sapphire promptly shoved Ruby off.

        Ruby immediately sat up, aggravated. "What was that for?!"

        "One, you tripped me, and two, you elbowed me in the chest," Sapphire cut.

        "I wouldn't have tripped if you hadn't yanked me back!" the other yelled.

        "Oh, yes," the blue Gem returned icily. "After you dragged me across the floor after you?"

        Ruby's face flushed even darker. "Well, YOU—"

        "Guys!" Steven sprang up and again rushed between them. "Don't fight! If you fight, I won't get to see Garnet!"

        There was another hellish shriek from somewhere below them, and a low rumbling.

        Steven threw his arms out dramatically. "And I might get eaten by a giant  _worm_!"

        He shot a look over his shoulder at the Gems, hoping for some kind of grudging agreement, when something shot up from beneath him and he was enveloped in a humid black. A second later he was pushed back into a pink, slimy sort of tunnel, filled with chunks of debris and the bones of other unfortunate animals.

        Steven broke out into a sweat. He didn't think he'd  _actually_  get eaten by a worm.

        There was a high chittering sound down the tunnel and he turned to find his fox seated proudly on top of a pile of rubble, tossing something between its paws.

        "Steven Junior!" he exclaimed joyfully, and scrambled over to it. As he got closer, he glimpsed what looked like a faceted pebble between its paws. He gazed at it for a moment before noticing the gem on its back. "Wait! Is that . . . the Earth Beetle? Can I see?"

        The fox seemed to read his mind and caught the thing up in its mouth, turning away.

        "Hey!" Steven whined, and scrambled around to reach the bug. "Be a good fox!" He managed to catch a grip on the beetle and began to pull, but the fox flattened its ears and pulled back. After a short squabble, the fox released its grip and Steven was sent tumbling backwards, but in possession of the beetle. He brandished it proudly.

        It was at that moment that something crashed through the ceiling and almost flattened Steven. He cried out and scrambled away. The fox yipped.

        Another thing like the first—a huge red gauntlet—dropped from above, blocking Steven's path, and before he could call out again, he and the fox were scooped up together and lifted from the belly of the worm.

        When he felt cool air against his skin, he opened his eyes and twisted to catch a glimpse of what had captured him. He was caught up in the arms of a maroon-skinned woman. She was clad in a black, pink and crimson suit. A reflective visor obscured her eyes and her face was framed with a dark cubic afro—one that looked suspiciously familiar. . .

        ". . . Garnet?" Steven ventured.

        The fusion turned her attention to the newest hole in the ground, contemplating for a moment, before she turned and ran, dropping the fox as she went and reaching out her now-free arm, gauntlet fading before the arm shot out, rope-like, stretching out and winding up the staircase, disappearing from view. She ran a few more strides and then, decisively, she shot forward, following the path of her elongated arm. It took Steven a few moments to realise that her feet weren't even touching the ground; she must have locked onto something at the other end and was pulling herself along.

        In record time they reached the top of the staircase and she set herself on the ground, letting go of the temple doorframe and arm returning to its normal size. She gently set Steven on the ground—"Stay down," she muttered lowly—and turned back to the stairwell entryway, tensing her body and waiting. As Steven watched, the gem on her uncovered palm set aglow in a rosy purple, and he could have sworn he saw her visor flash before she calmly stepped back and, in exactly the spot she had just been, the earth ruptured from inside and the worm monster shot out, baring its teeth and shrieking. In a moment, another gauntlet materialised on her vulnerable fist and with a powerful swing she arced the gauntlet through the air and into the worm's belly, and the weapon sparked, sending electrical currents through its form. It squealed, falling to the ground and writhing, something glinting on his head. Garnet wasted no time in jumping onto the creature's back and plucking the gem, the monster dissipating in a burst of sparkling smoke.

        As the said smoke cleared around her, Garnet, with her feet now flat on the ground, straightened and promptly bubbled the gem. She turned to face Steven and the gauntlets dissipated.

        She approached slowly, gravel crunching underfoot. When she reached him, she knelt down and held out a hand. Her visor faded away, revealing three mismatched eyes. They were soft and warm.

        Steven reached out to take the offered hand, but then stopped. "Do you . . . know who I am?"

        The fusion paused for a moment, and then smiled. "All you want to do," she sang softly, "Is see me turn into. . ."

        "A giant woman," he breathed.

        He let her pull him to his feet.

✧✧✧

Back at the beach house, Opal was securing the Heaven Beetle when the warp pad chimed. She turned and was surprised to find Steven standing with Garnet.

        "We're back!" he called.

        "The Earth Beetle?" Opal asked, looking pointedly at Garnet.

        The fusion looked alarmed. "I— I don't have it—"

        With a disconcerted groan, she fell apart.

        "I  _told_  you we didn't need to use future vision!" Ruby shouted, panicked. "We could have caught the monster anyway!"

        "It was necessary," Sapphire returned, voice calm. "Besides, it was inevitable that you would have us carried away."

         _"ME?!"_  Ruby shrilled.

        "Wait, guys!" Steven withdrew some sort of faceted pebble from his pocket and held it high triumphantly. "I've got the beetle!"

        Opal came forward and plucked it gently from his fingers. "Great work, Steven." Retrieving the habitat container, she dropped the beetle in with its companion and bubbled the miniature biome. "And I see you helped your teammates fuse?"

        Ruby and Sapphire glanced at each other, embarrassed.

        "And all I had to do was get eaten by a worm," he said proudly.

        She smiled. "Well done. You'll be great at fusing one day."

        "Yeah," he said smugly, watching Opal walk away.

        And then: "Wait, I can do that too?!"


	4. I Am Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT: "Amethyst and Pearl reuniting on the Hand Ship and Opal kicking Jasper's butt even harder than Garnet did." — for Kaoupa on Archive Of Our Own! Hope you enjoy!! :3

He gazed in at the purple figure hunched against the wall.

        "Um . . . hello? Are you okay?"

         The Gem jumped and gazed out at him. She looked to be very much on edge.

        Suddenly, she slammed her fist against the wall. " _Great!_  This is just  _perfect_!" she growled, and clutched at her head, fisting her fingers in tufty white hair.

        Steven tried again. "Uh . . . do you need any help?"

         _"No!"_  The Gem cried, and glared at him angrily. "I mean. . . don't look at me! Just, go away!"

        He sighed and turned away.

        "Hey wait!" The Gem stood and moved closer to the yellow screen boxing her in. "You're out! How did you get past the field?"

        "Oh!" He stretched his hand out. "I just kinda. . ."

        Concern flared in the Gem's eyes. "Wait! Nononono wait—"

        She stopped when his hand slipped easily through. ". . . It's . . . okay?"

        She pressed her own hand to the field and was promptly zapped. She hissed, stepping back. "What's going  _on_!"

        It was at that moment a lilting tune wafted through the corridor, and the Gem fell silent, listening.

        After a few moments, Steven spoke up. "Somebody's singing!"

        "Pearl. . ." the Gem breathed, and whipped to face him. "Let me outta here! Please! I need to find Pearl!"

        "Is she your friend?" Steven asked. "I'm looking for my friends too."

        "She's all alone—I need to find her!" the Gem cried.

        "Don't worry, we'll find our friends," he offered, and stepped into the yellow field, opening a hole for her. The field jottled him as he cried, hopefully, "And we'll do it together!"

        In a flash, the Gem dashed under his arm and took off in a full sprint down the corridor.

        "Wait for me!" Steven cried, and pulled away from the field, dashing to keep up. The Gem skidded to a stop and he pulled up beside her.

        "Hey, my name's Steven, by the way. What's yours?"

        "Quiet!" she grunted, and held her head in her hands. "I can't think. . ."

        She glanced up and down the corridor before making a decision. "This way!" she said, and dashed off to the left.

        "How many more Gems are trapped here?" Steven called after her, scrambling to keep up.

        "Don't know, don't care," she called back, and then stopped. "She stopped singing!" She looked wildly around and cupped her hands around her mouth to call out.  _"Pearl!"_

        They had stopped by a large window and when Steven gazed through it, he caught a glimpse of the Earth sprawled below. He followed the Gem down the corridor and they soon came to another engaged cell.

        The Gem gasped hopefully, and then frowned. "Oh . . . it's just you."

        As Steven squinted past the field, he caught sight of a tear-shaped gem on the figure's back. "Lapis!"

        She turned and gazed anxiously at him.

        "Lapis, I can get you out!" Steven said, and reached out for the field.

        "Stop!" she cried.

        "It's okay, I can—"

        "No!" He took a step back. "I don't want your help! Things are bad enough as it is! I've already made too much trouble. Once we get back to Homeworld, they're going to decide what to do with us."

        The purple Gem behind him gave an irritated growl. "I don't have time for this," she muttered, and stormed off.

        "Wait!" Steven called after her.

        "Steven. . ." he turned to see Lapis move closer. "Whatever you're doing, just stop! If we do everything they say, they might go easy on us!"

        Steven could feel panic welling inside him at the loss of the other Gem. "But they're . . . mean! They hurt my friends—they hurt my face! They've got you here in prison!"

        "That's why we can't fight them," Lapis pressed.

        "That's why we  _have_  to fight them!" Steven cried.

        Lapis gave him one last despairing look and then shifted to sit against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest.

        Steven sighed. "I'll come back for you," he promised, and turned to venture back down the corridor.

        Picking up the song from before, he followed the sound down another smaller corridor and jumped when a panelled door slid open in front of him. He flattened himself against the wall. Peridot and the large orange Gem from before strode past.

        "We can't leave yet!" Peridot was saying. "The whole point of coming here was to check on the  _cluster_!"

        They stopped in front of an active cell and the orange Gem (what was her name? Jasper?) delivered a skull-rattling punch to the wall. "STOP SINGING!" she yelled, and turned to her companion. "Rose Quartz takes priority. Get back to the bridge and set a course for Homeworld."

        With that, she turned and stormed off, leaving an exasperated Peridot to head back the way she had come. "Go to Earth, they said!" He heard her muttering. "It'll be  _easy_ , they said."

        Once she was out of sight, Steven peered around the corner to find a tall, slender Gem barricaded in the aforementioned cell. Making sure the hall was empty, he tiptoed over.

        "Hey, I like your song!" He said to the Gem. "Are you Pearl?"

        The Gem looked shocked. "You escaped!"

        Steven reached forward and pushed his fingers through the field. They slipped easily through to the other side and, after a moment of thought, the Gem's eyes lit up. ". . . Of course! Your bio-organic counterpart resists the light-cancelling probes!"

        He stared at her blankly, and she rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I apologise. Could you . . . please help me, too?"

        He smiled, stepped into the field and held up his arms, creating another hole.  _"Come oo-onn!"_  he invited, vibrating from the energy.  _"It's saa-afe!"_

        The tall Gem (with effort) ducked under his arms with a soft smile. "Thank you, Steven."

        "You're welcome!"

         _"Peeeaarrll!"_

        The cry echoed from somewhere far away.

        "Amethyst." Pearl gasped and grabbed him, hoisting him up onto her back. "Come on."

        Much to his delight she took off at full speed, ducking low and slipping easily around corners. He thought, with surprise, it was the smoothest piggy-back he had ever had.

        Without any warning, they skidded to a stop, and Steven almost went flying over Pearl's head. Looking up, he saw that they were standing at the edge of a large chamber. Standing at the opposite doorway was the purple Gem from before.

        "Amethyst!" Pearl cried, and let him slide to the floor behind her before again taking off. The Gems met in the middle of the room, reaching out and pulling each other close.

        After a brief moment, Amethyst pulled back and looked up at the other with concern. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

        Pearl shook her head, a faint smile on her face. "No, no. I'm okay. Did they hurt  _you_?"

        Amethyst's eyes were wet and her husky voice low when she answered. "Who cares about me?"

        "Oh, Amethyst," Pearl said sharply, almost crossly. Then she lifted a hand to cup the smaller Gem's cheek. " _I_  do."

        Amethyst gave a choked laugh and then bunched Pearl's leotard in her fists, pulling her down and pressing their lips together, hurriedly, ravenously, as if she were starved. The taller Gem returned the kiss softly, lifting both hands to hold her face.

        Just when Steven thought he should turn away Amethyst pulled back and, panting lightly, scooped Pearl into her arms. The image of the short, stout Amethyst, cradling slender Pearl (who was almost twice her height when standing) was almost laughable.

        Pearl only laughed, though, and hung her arms loosely about the other's neck when she started to spin them. As he watched, their Gems grew lighter and lighter, their forms whitening until finally Amethyst let her companion fall back, reclining until her head almost touched the floor, and caught her at the last moment—

        The two white shapes melded together, growing taller, thinner, and colouring, until Opal gazed down at him, beaming.

        "Steven," came her smooth, calm voice, and she crouched before him. "Thank you."

        "Opal!" His eyes sparkled. "You're a  _fusion_?"

        She gave a soft, almost embarrassed laugh. "I'm sorry. We didn't want you meeting us here, like this."

        Steven understood that perhaps now might be an inopportune time to introduce him to her components, but he didn't think any other occasion would have made it even more wonderful. "Well. . . did I make a good first impression?"

        "Oh Steven," Opal sighed, a fond smile playing about her lips as she cupped his cheek, "We already love you."

         _"WHERE IS SHE?"_

        The shout was distant, but no less intimidating. They both glanced worriedly at the righthand door.

        "It's Jasper," Opal said. "Steven, find Ruby and Sapphire and get to the control bridge."

        "But I don't know where they are!" Steven confessed.

        "Pearl remembers the layout of these ships. They should be kept at the meeting point of the left and right wings," she said.

        Steven blinked.

        She sighed fondly and set a hand on his shoulder, pulling him close and pointing. "We are at the Centre now, so if you take this corridor, it should lead you right to them. From there it's only through the left wing, and then turn right at the last point."

        "Straight, through left wing, last right. Got it."

        Satisfied, Opal stood, readying to face the Quartz.

        "Wait!" At his call, her eyes flicked to settle on him. "Are you gonna be able to beat her on your own?"

        "It's okay, Steven. I'm never alone."

        With the bootsteps growing louder, he gave a confirming nod and disappeared down the corridor. Almost immediately, Jasper appeared, racing through the arch at the opposite side of the room and skidding to a stop a few feet from the fusion.

        "Oh, great," she growled. "You're  _both_  out? And you're fused  _again_? Why?" Opal only smiled, and the Quartz bristled. "Fusion is just a cheap tactic to make weak Gems stronger. Quit embarrassing yourselves! I've seen what you  _really_  are."

        Opal only chimed with a low laugh. The confident sound made Jasper grind her teeth.

        "No you haven't," the fusion said mysteriously, and propped all four hands on her hips, bringing her extra limbs into full view. "My name is Opal, and I will never yield to the likes of you, Jasper, because I'm so much better."

        Jasper bared her teeth. "Better HOW? You're too scared to even fight apart!"

        "The two of us aren't going to follow your rules," the fusion replied coyly. "But  _I_ , on the other hand, never said no to a fight."

        The Quartz grinned wickedly and, drawing her Destabiliser, launched herself full tilt at the fusion.

        Opal effortlessly flipped herself into the air, avoiding the attack (and a crushing blow, which was subsequently afforded to the splintering floor), and, whirling on tiptoes, took a few strides behind the muscled Gem. In one deft movement (making full use of her extra limbs), she summoned her spear and her lasso, twirling both above her head and combining them in a flash of light.

        Steadying the newly-formed bow with two hands, she pulled back the string, eyes narrowing in concentration. Within a couple of seconds, the incandescent arrow was ready, and Jasper was less than a couple of steps away, hurtling full speed at her target.

        Opal released the bowstring and the arrow flew forward, bursting upon contact with the incoming Gem and blasting her back across the room. She slid to a stop just as her heels touched the wall, and with a growl she looked up, teeth clenched, eyes ablaze. The huge Gem already looked haggard.

        "Is that all you got?" she gritted.

        "Actually, you're lucky my relationship is stable," the fusion chided, the hint of a smirk playing about her lips. "An unbalanced attack could have damaged your gem."

        The Quartz only vaulted herself forward again, Destabiliser outstretched, aimed for the fusion's stomach. With minimal effort Opal dodged the attack (leaving behind another crater in her wake), catching Jasper's wrist with two hands, and, holding the bow out of reach, used her free left hand to pluck the weapon from her captive's grip.

        "Ah, ah, ah!" She aimed a pointed kick at the Quartz's chest, shoving her back. As she brought another hand around to effortlessly snap the Destabiliser in half, the look in the fusion's eyes was somewhere between animalistic and triumphant. Even with her limited knowledge, Jasper could see that her components were at energetic disagreement; the Amethyst looked to be hungering for more, and the cowardly Pearl wanted an end to the fighting, while they were still on top.

        "You're forgetting that if you break us apart, we'll just come back newer," Opal cooed, and tossed the broken sticks away. "And we'll  _always_  be twice the Gem that you are."

        "You're only together because you're both too weak to stand alone," Jasper spat, and ran at her again, raising a fist. "What are you even supposed to be? Some mockery of Gemkind? An attempt at strength?"

        "What am I?" The fusion effortlessly tossed the Quartz into the air and sent her barrelling into the ceiling with a strong, elegant kick up her backside. Jasper twirled through the air and when she slammed against the ceiling back-first, Opal looked up into her eyes and smiled.  _"Love."_

        With a roar and a flash of light, Jasper summoned her helmet and, dredging together every spare drop of energy she had, plunged straight down on top of the fusion.

        Opal sidestepped and watched with amusement as the irrational Gem plunged through the glazed floor and into the power centre below. Nimbly, she jumped down into the hole after her and landed, catlike, on the balls of her feet. She stood,  _en pointe_ , still clutching her recurve bow.

        Jasper was on her hands and knees in a pile of rubble. Grunting, she pushed herself to her feet, and levelled Opal with a piercing glare. "I'll give you one last chance to unfuse before I shatter you."

        "This is who I am," the fusion replied, undaunted, and again pulled back the bowstring. Another glimmering arrow took shape against the weapon and she aimed it at the soldier's chest. "You can't stop me, Jasper. But I can stop  _you_  from getting to my planet and my family."

        She let go.

        Upon release, the arrow split into a dozen smaller shards, and the torrent buried Jasper in a haze of light.

        When the onslaught finally finished, Jasper looked up, once again on her knees, peppered with scratches and bruises.

        Opal smiled appreciatively. "You're a tough one."

        Opal could practically feel the Quartz grinding her teeth across the room. Her face was like thunder. "Okay, if that's how you want it . . .  _fine_."

        And she disappeared in a blur of skin and dust, blazing with the power of a perfect soldier, and  _shot_  towards her—

        . . . And missed by a full seven metres.

        Opal reeled, eyes darting after the blur. It scaled up the wall, across the ceiling, zipped past her again, and then, when it hit the wall, began a pinball motion, zigzagging back and forth between contact points. It came quite close to bowling her down, but she managed to leap over the offence. She didn't jump as quickly as she should have, though, and the blur clipped her foot, making her gasp at the white-hot pain.

        Pearl's logical mind worked quickly.  _She's bluffing,_  Opal thought confidently.  _She's trying to lull me into a state of vulnerability._

        Then, she sighed at herself.  _Big words._

         _Big words often happen to be correct._

         _Yeah, well we— BLOCK!_

        Just in time, she threw her arms up and caught the incoming Gem by the helmet. The force of the hit sent a shockwave through her body.

        Glancing over her shoulder, she angled her body for the perfect throw. Jasper twisted, trying to blast away, but the fusion held on tight. She couldn't resist one last parting jibe.

        She leaned in and pressed her face close. "You think you see what I'm made of," she murmured, and with a great heave, she flipped Jasper over, and the unfortunate soldier went barrelling straight into the power core.

        The Quartz shrieked, raw electricity coursing through her body, and Opal smiled. "But I am even  _more_  than the two of them."

        And with that, she took a flying leap back out through the hole—but not without blowing a kiss to the still-watching Jasper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda disappointed in my Opal characterisation but. . . hopefully I can work on it! That gal just can't be hit. Need me some of that athleticism.
> 
> Also, Pearl isn't a coward. Jasper's just a big meanie. . .


	5. Steven's Dream (Zoo Arc: part 1/3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT: "do the zoo arc. technically not much would change but it'd be funny to see pearl fuming over holly blue abusing all the amethysts there and ranting about how mad she'd be." — for scaldera3 on Wattpad! Hope you enjoy! :)

_Hibiscus flowers swayed against a lush backdrop—a grassy hill, a clear sky and a glint of pink—_

        . . . _Steven?. . ._

         _The voice is disembodied and distant, carried on the breeze that sways the flowers._

         _Steven?. . ._

         _The view is constant, locked like a video camera during a scene in a movie._

        "Steven!"

        Steven woke with a start, vision blurry. When he touched fingers to the dampness on his cheek, they came back with glistening water.

        He became aware of the movie onscreen and sat up, wiping at his face.

        "You okay, bud?" his dad asked, settling a hand on his back. "You fell asleep during the movie. I was gonna let you sleep (you looked so cute!) but, then you started crying, and. . . that was less cute."

        Steven gave a soft laugh. "No, I'm fine. . . I don't know why I was crying. My dream wasn't really sad. . ." he yawned, and Greg checked his watch.

        "Oh, jee, look at the time. . .  _and_  my classy new watch!"

        Steven stared uncomprehendingly at the golden accessory against his wrist. Greg smiled sympathetically and patted his shoulder.

        "Let's get you home, bud."

✧✧✧

". . . Eh, you didn't miss much. Turns out they were abducting cows 'cause they needed milk for their cereal planet!"

        Steven stepped up onto the stairs to the beach house and paused. "Dad. Before you go . . . can I ask you something?" He turned and fixed him with a serious stare.

        "Yeah, of course!" he smiled, but seeing Steven's expression, his brow creased in worry.

        "Did Mom ever talk to you about. . . Pink Diamond?"

        Greg stared at him for a moment, before sighing. "There were some things your mom. . . didn't like to talk about. I . . . never pressed her for details."

        "Why not?" Steven felt himself growing a little desperate.

        Greg shook his head and started up the stairs. "Rose and I talked about tonnes of important stuff—music, comic books, getting sand between your toes . . . you know, feelings," he said, wedging onto the step beside him. "We both made a lotta mistakes when we were young—I thought disco was coming back, she started a war. . ." Steven cringed.

        "I think she felt like she had to confess everything to me, but. . .  I told her, the past is the past. 'All that matters to me is who you are now'—and who she was, was . . . an incredible, loving being."

        Steven gave a soft smile, feeling for the gem beneath his shirt. That . . . felt a lot better. He turned and gave him a warm hug. "'Night, Dad."

        "'Night, Steven."

✧✧✧

_Hibiscus flowers swayed against a lush backdrop—a grassy hill, a clear sky. . ._

I'm here again?

_Steven craned his neck up to the clouds, and reacted with surprise when the view complied._

Guess I can look around. . .

_His eyes tracked up the branches of a tree overhead, and then scanned across the green meadow._

What is this place?

_A glint caught his eye—light refracting off a polished pink surface._

What's— what is. . .

 _He followed the arc of the thing, which led back—_ up _—to a huge, intricately patterned . . . thing. It was almost like a chamber . . . on legs?_

Whoa.

_He was just taking notice of the masses of shrub gathering around the base of the thing, flowered vines climbing the structure, when_ _—_

        Steven's eyes blinked open and he sat up upon feeling something tickling his face. When he wiped at the stuff with his fingers, he found tears.

        He frowned.  _Again?_

✧✧✧

Steven watched the pretty sheet-snow settle around him.  _Pearl isn't going to be too happy about that,_  he thought.

        "Sorry, I'll clean that up later!" Connie shouted excitedly, not sounding sorry at all. From somewhere on the floor beside her, she picked up a sizeable tome and dropped it with a  _thunk!_  onto the table.

        "When you told me about your dream, I thought it sounded familiar," she said, turning the cover and searching the contents page. It was remarkable that such an ancient piece of literature should be so well organised, but he supposed that was a testament to Buddwick's character. Connie picked up a handful of pages and flicked hurriedly through them, searching, until she stopped and slammed her hand down on an illustrated page.

        Steven gasped. "That's it! The— 'Palan-quinn'."

        "Actually, it's pronounced palan- _keen_ ," she corrected him, and further back in the house, the warp pad chimed.

        Steven brightened. "It's the Gems! They've gotta know about this thing!" He grabbed the tome and rushed over with Connie on his heels.

        When the light from the pad cleared, Ruby opened an eye. "Hey," she said, trying to sound coy and failing.

        "Hey, d'you know anything about this thing?" Steven motormouthed, and held open the book.

        "Hmmmmm!" Ruby stepped closer and frowned at the book, supporting her chin with thumb and forefinger. "Oh,  _this_. Yes. I see. Steven, I can tell you this with absolute confidence." She steepled her fingers, closed her eyes and breathed out.

        Steven felt excitement bubble up inside him. Ruby never hid anything from him. She'd tell him exactly what this thing was, and he could figure out what it was doing in his dreams.

        Ruby opened her eyes again and fixed him with a very serious stare. "I have no idea what that is."

        He deflated, and she laughed, giving him a playful punch. "'Course I know! That's a palanquin."

        He shielded his arm from any further damage and huffed. "Ruby, I know. It says right there."

        She seemed surprised and stared at the caption he pointed to. As Steven came to think of it, Ruby had never seemed very interested in human culture for the most part, so it didn't come as much of a surprise that she hadn't learnt how to read.

        Raising an eyebrow, she looked back up at him. "Well, whaddya wanna know about it?"

        "Uhh, stuff like. . . what's it for? And what's it doing there?"

        "For important Gems, mostly," she supplied, waving a hand. "Someone prolly left it here during the War."

        "What kind of important Gems?"

        Sapphire had been listening in to the conversation, gradually growing more and more tense. She turned around when Ruby started to speak.

        "Well, the biggest ones are D—"

        Sapphire clapped a gloved hand over her mouth, startling all three of them. When she noticed the children staring at her, she shot them a nervous smile and removed her hand. "I'm sorry, Ruby occasionally gets ahead of herself."

        Ruby scowled at her.

        "What was she going to say?" Connie interjected. "'D'. . .?"

        "Diamonds?" Steven asked, and Sapphire stiffened, raising her hands to her head. "I had a dream where I saw this thing, and Connie and I were wondering maybe—"

        "Steven," the blue Gem interrupted, and hurriedly dropped her hands, instead clasping them in front of her. "Why don't you and—"

        She cut off when a large hand settled on her head. Looking up, she opened her mouth—

        "You can't go there," Opal said calmly.

        Steven blinked. ". . . Why not?"

        Ruby sidled up beside him and crossed her arms. "Yeaahhh, why not?"

        Sapphire's fists clenched. "Ruby, you  _know_ —"

        "Sapphire, it's okay," Opal soothed, and levelled her gaze at Steven. "We won't be going. And that's the end of it."

        Steven sighed and lowered the book. "I thought you were going to tell me everything from now on."

        Sapphire and the fusion remained silent. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he flipped the book around to examine it.

        "Wait. . . it was pink in my dream. Does—" he held it up again and pointed at the image. "Does this have something to do with  _Pink_  Diamond?" Sapphire cringed, and he forged ahead. "I already know Mom shattered her, so what is it about this you can't tell me?"

        Again, Sapphire raised her hands to her temples and shook her head. Opal stepped in front of her and gazed beseechingly at Steven. "Please. You're making Sapphire very upset."

         _"No!"_  he burst out. " _I'm_  very upset!"

        "We're. Not. Going."

        Connie and Ruby backpedalled, shooting each other a wary look.

        "Rose never wanted for you to see that place," the fusion said, steadfast.

        "Rose wanted. . ." he growled, voice rising to a shout. "What about what  _I_  want?!" he swung a finger at her. "I'm sick of everyone lying to me! Rose is  _my_  Mom! Out of anyone, don't  _I_  deserve to know the truth?"

        "This isn't the time."

        "I. Don't.  _Care!_  I wanna go there  _now_!"

        "Steven!"

        "I'm sorry," Connie said quietly, rubbing her neck. "I— I shouldn't have brought the book."

        "Yes you should've brought it! It's lucky  _something_  has some information that I don't have to get out of  _THEM_!"

        All three Gems recoiled, shocked.

        When Steven spoke next, his voice was calm but determined. "Connie, I need to borrow this book."

        She hesitated before replying. "Okay, just be careful. . . I gotta return it to the library in a week."

        "Thanks," he said, walking past her.

        "Wait, Steven, where are you—"

        A hand on her head stopped her, and she looked up at a stern Opal, eyes fixed on Steven as he slipped out through the door. Sapphire stood next to her, skirts bunched in her fists.

        Sat in the middle of the staircase, Steven gazed intently at the image. The creak of the door made him look up.

        "Steven—don't go. You have to trust us."

        He sighed and stood, turning to look up at her. "I don't understand, Opal. At least  _you're_  usually honest with me!"

        "I want to be. But if I tell you what Sapphire said. . ." she stopped and sighed.

        "What? What did she say?"

        "I can't tell you, Steven!"

        "Steven! Please don't go!"

        Sapphire rushed out and onto the balcony, gazing down at him over the guardrail. "You can't let her see you!"

        "Ah!  _Her!_  Her who!"

        "Oh, dear. . . Steven, please. Just stay here." She parted her fringe and gazed at him with her wide blue eye. "For me."

        His gaze dropped. "I won't."

        He trotted off determinedly down the stairs.

        Behind him, Opal crossed the balcony to settle a comforting hand on Sapphire's head.

✧✧✧

Greg was asleep, splayed across the mattress in his van, when a banging on the door jolted him awake.

        He scrambled forward and opened the doors to Steven, clutching a thick, leather-bound book. "Dad, I need your help!"

        "Is everything o—"

        "There's this place I saw in a dream, and it's real! But the Gems won't tell me anything about it!" he pointed at the map displayed on a stained page. "It has something to do with Pink Diamond. I know you didn't wanna get involved with Mom's past but. . . I wanna know the truth! Doesn't that matter  _at all_?"

        His voice was shrill, his eyes wide. Greg stared at him for a moment before softening. "Of course it does."

        The boy appeared to calm a little. "Really?"

        Greg nodded and held out his hand. "Lemme see that."

        Steven passed the book to him, marking the page, and he examined the map for a moment. "And the Gems won't take you?"

        "No." His shoulders slumped defeatedly.

        Greg smiled. "Well I know a guy who will!"

✧✧✧

Andy DeMayo had only been too happy to give his cousins a lift in his bushplane. Such a small aircraft did have its drawbacks, though—they made it to Korea via stops in Alaska and Russia. When they finally touched down and farewelled Andy (promising to call him when they found their way back to Beach City, as Steven was sure the Gems would take them back), Greg had insisted they take it easy and have a little fun while they were here. Steven certainly couldn't object to that.

        Needless to say, South Korea was amazing. Bustling cities full of lights and billboards and screens; and clogging up the roads, beeping taxis, friendly locals and hurried tourists.

        They went shopping, tried the local food, visited the Heungnyemun Gate and tried on traditional garb. After purchasing a pair of branded shirts and a load of new clothes (which Steven certainly wouldn't wear but Greg insisted on anyway), they finally caught a bus to the Seorjjungsan mountains.

        "Kamsahamni— da?" Greg called upon their disembarkment, and stared dolefully after the retreating vehicle.

        "What's the hurry?" he mumbled, and turned and almost ran into Steven, who was examining the map.

        "This is it," he said, and began to walk.

        "You sure this is the place?" Greg called after him, lugging shopping bags up the hill.

        "Yeah!" Steven called back, "It's hard to explain but. . . I can feel it."

        "Huh. . . sure is pretty here." Greg gazed around at the masses of hibiscus bushes, blooming with delicate pink flowers. "So does any of this look familiar to you?"

        Steven stopped abruptly in his path. "Steven?"

        He was staring intently at the book. When Greg leaned forward to look at him, his face was streaming with fat tears. "Whoa, are you okay?" He glanced worriedly at the book, thinking he may have stumbled across something upsetting—but he found nothing except the map sprawled across the aged pages.

        "It's happening again," Greg pushed, gauging his reaction.

        "I-I'm fine. Let's keep going."

        "Come on. . . let's take a break," he offered tentatively, glancing back down the hill. "I think this mountain's really messing me up."

        "No, Dad! This can only mean we're getting closer!" He shot him a brusque smile and forged on. "C'mon!"

        Hesitantly, Greg trailed behind him until they reached a high mesh fence. Nailed (somehow) to the criss-crossing wires were two signs—one shouted  **KEEP OUT** , accentuated with bold Korean symbols and a crossed-out stick figure; the one below was a little more mellow, wooden and scrawled with a soft  _Please_. Steven thought that handwriting looked familiar.

        "Look!" Steven cried, a little unnecessarily.

        "This feels familiar," Greg grumbled, eyeing the signs.

        "Dad, help me jump the fence."

        Steven's expression was stern, fixed unwaveringly on the fence, but still flowed with tears not his own.

        Behind him, Greg gulped. "Oh boy, we're doing this."

        Steven dropped down lightly on the other side of the fence. Greg thumped heavily to the ground beside him with a  _whoompf!_.

        "Your dad really can't jump fences like he used to," he wheezed from the ground.

        "Dad. . . look."

        Greg raised his head to Steven's receding figure. With a groan, he hauled himself up and followed. He didn't bother with the bags; they could come back for them later.

        They came to a stop in front of a huge, polished blue structure hung with curtains. It sat on what looked like angled legs and inside sat a grand carved throne.

        "This is it! But. . . it's different?" Steven gazed up in confusion at the pristine palanquin. "In my dream it was all broken down and pink! This one's in perfect condition!"

        "Maybe it got a paint job?" Greg suggested dubiously.

         _"Oh, Pink. . ."_

        A low voice echoed back to them from somewhere close. When Steven turned he could just make out a blue, hooded figure through the leaves of an obstructing bush.

         _"I'm sorry."_

        The huge figure was kneeling in front of—in front of the pink palanquin! Beside the figure, a small blue Gem knelt on the ground.

         _"I'm so sorry. I should have done more. Yellow says it'll all be over soon. . . I wonder what you would think. This is your planet, after all. . . I still think it is."_

        "Steven, do you know her?" Greg whispered.

        Suddenly, everything was blurred, and Steven sunk to the ground, tears flowing.

        "Whoa, buddy!"

        "My dreams. . . I was seeing through her eyes!" Steven breathed, and wiped at the onslaught of water. "I've been crying her tears!"

         _"What are you doing over there?"_

        The two froze. Light footsteps were approaching.

        "I thought I heard someone," said a high voice above their heads.

        "Don't worry, I'll handle this," Greg whispered, and gave Steven's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

        "I think we're not alone," the small blue Gem said, and Greg abruptly stood, earning a small gasp of surprise.

        "Ayyy! Uh, nice day out, huh? I— I didn't see you there, what's uh, what's. . . up?" Steven cringed as he heard his clicking finger-guns.

        The hooded figure in front of the palanquin straightened.  _"Pearl?"_

        The aforementioned Gem turned and gave some sort of foreign salute. "My Diamond, I've found a native."

        She curtseyed and Greg clambered out of the bushes.

        "Oh, uh—yeah! I'm from here alright! I am your host, your. . . Highness." He didn't quite know what to refer to her by, exactly, but that seemed the most appropriate.

        The figure turned just enough to expose the lower half of a thin, blue face.

         _"Bring it here."_

        The smaller Gem straightened and, clasping her hands, went to the Diamond. Greg followed.

         _"Dad, no!"_  Steven called, as quietly as he could manage. His father didn't hear him.

        Upon reaching the figure, the small Gem curtseyed again and stood behind Greg.

         _"How curious,"_  came the low voice.  _"I'm impressed by humanity's ability to survive in the wild."_

        The voice seemed to grow weaker, quieter.  _"What a strange planet. Where else would a being as fragile as a human live, while a being as powerful as a Diamond perish?"_

        The large Gem (undoubtedly a Gem, by now, Steven thought) gestured to the palanquin.  _"This is where it happened. Where she was broken."_

        Steven's eyes widened.

        "Were you close?" He started at his father's voice.

        The Gem paused for a moment before replying.  _"Very."_

        Greg sighed. "Ah. . . I'm awfully sorry. I know how hard it is to move on when you've lost someone."

        To Steven's shock, the figure then turned, exposing a long, mournful face, framed by white tufts of hair. The eyes were huge and blue, wet with tears. As another tear dripped down the Gem's face, Steven felt his own eye water.

        "I lost someone very important to me, too," Greg continued. "I miss her every single day and I think about her all the time. But. . . she's never coming back. That feeling can be so hard to be okay with."

         _"I'm surprised that a human being is capable of understanding how I feel."_  She turned back and and gazed sorrowfully at the palanquin.  _"It's a shame."_

        Slowly, she stood, drawing her rippling robes with her.  _"There's a geo-weapon incubating in your planet that will destroy everything, shortly. But. . . you don't deserve that, do you?"_  She turned and gave him a small smile.

        Greg stood transfixed, not quite believing. "Geo-weapon, huh?"

         _"You know, I really shouldn't be here."_  She kneeled down and spoke playfully, almost as if she were conversing with a favourite pet.  _"But I'm glad I came back one last time. I can save one last piece of her legacy."_

        Greg smiled. "Oh, yeah?"

        A huge blue hand darted out from underneath the cloak and snatched him off the ground.

        "Dad!" Steven cried, panicked.

        The huge Gem straightened and raised a hand. At her signal, a leviathan blue hand rose from somewhere behind a nearby mountain and into the air.  _Larger than her? How was that possible?_

        "That's a. . . big arm," Greg stammered.

        Steven heard something behind him and ducked just in time to avoid being struck by the blue palanquin. It could fly, too?!

        "Put me down, please!" Greg's desperate cry echoed across the landscape. "Whoa, whoa! Put me down, your Highness!"

        The Gem heeded him none, just ducked into the palanquin and sat, her tiny companion following suit.

        Steven tumbled out of the bushes. "Dad, DAD!"

        Just as he would have reached it, the palanquin flew up into the sky, higher, higher, until it reached the hand—the ship? the hand-ship?—and disappeared into its clenched fist.

         _"Stop!"_  Steven cried, and with all his strength he launched himself up at the ship, flying higher, higher, the ground receding beneath him, the trees shrinking into pinpricks—

        He stretched an arm out, reaching for the ship—

        It turned and shot into the atmosphere, warping out of sight and blasting him back towards the ground with the force of its afterfire.

        Steven gave up and went limp, falling, staring helplessly at the spot he had last seen it. "Dad. . ."

        Suddenly, he was caught up in two strong arms, and he closed his eyes, resigning himself to the strong hold.

        "Steven, I'm sorry!"

        He opened his eyes and gave a start. "Garnet?!"

        She let her visor fizzle away and he saw her eyes glint with regret. "I saw you come here, I saw Blue Diamond on Earth, I saw her see me and find all of us!—I couldn't be here with you!"

        "She took my Dad! It's all my fault— I— I should have listened to Opal!"

        "It's okay, Steven," came a soothing voice from behind him, and two more arms wrapped around him. Two arms wrapped around Garnet, too. When he looked up, he found Opal's sorrowful eyes gazing down at him.

        "What are we gonna do?" he whispered.

        Garnet's face hardened.

        "We're going to space." She pulled out of Opal's warm arms and held Steven closer to her own chest. "We're going to get him  _back_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry but I came up with Opal's little quirk to put her hands on people's heads instead of their shoulders and it's the CUTEST thing—  
> I also could not find the actual Korean dialogue for what Greg said to Blue Diamond, but I found the translation. . . eghh. . .
> 
> Also, I searched high and low for mountains that resembled the ones in this episode, and that were also in the right location—the middle of the South Korean west coast (and couldn't find any), so let me present to you, Seorjjungsan: A Crash Course in Fictional Linguistics:
> 
> — Seojj = part of seojjog (meaning "west")
> 
> — Jung = part of junggan (meaning "middle")
> 
> — So seojjog + junggan = seojjunggan
> 
> — Seojjunggan to SeojjungSAN—all Korean mountains have the suffix san (meaning "mountain")
> 
> — Seor = part of Seoraksan (the mountains that have the most semblance to the ones in the show)
> 
> — Seojjungsan + homage to Seoraksan (or just Seorak) = Seorjjungsan


	6. Gem Heist (Zoo Arc: part 2/3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT: "do the zoo arc. technically not much would change but it'd be funny to see pearl fuming over holly blue abusing all the amethysts there and ranting about how mad she'd be." — for scaldera3 on Wattpad! Hope you enjoy! :)

As their ship drifted closer to the enormous pink structure, the Gems grew quiet. The tension in the air was palpable. Steven noticed with mild alarm the Red Eye floating nearby, keeping watch.

        "The Human Zoo," Sapphire murmured.

        "That thing's  _huge_!" Ruby gasped, seated at the controls.

        "Of course, it has to be," Sapphire replied. "It was constructed with ample space for specimen containment, storage, synthesis labs, barracks and vehicle bays."

        "How do you know all this stuff?" Ruby asked, turning to set suspicious eyes on her.

        Sapphire froze. "Uh. . . future vision, of course."

        Ruby snorted and gave her a light punch on the arm. "I'm just kiddin'. 'Course a Sapphire like you would be a know-it-all."

        Sapphire bristled and Opal laid a hand on her head. "Gems, calm yourselves," the fusion said, and turned her gaze upon the Zoo. "That ship is like an iceberg. The Zoo itself must be contained in that lower. . . majority, right?"

        Sapphire nodded.

        "Dad's gotta be in there," Steven insisted. "We just have to find him and bust him out."

        Surprisingly, as they neared the entry bay (Ruby at the controls and Sapphire directing at her shoulder) the panels opened easily. Still, everyone held their breath as they passed through the security field into the port. No alarms went off, no guards came running.

        Ruby exhaled. "The ship's still registered."

        "Let's hope no one thinks to check inside," Opal said drily.

        The vehicle drifted into a vacant bay. Opal noticed two large figures by the doors and gasped. "Amethyst guards. . . Right." She touched her fingers to the pearl set against her forehead. "As if we could just waltz up as a fusion, a defected Sapphire and. . ." her eyes softened as they settled on Steven. ". . . And you."

        "We just need disguises!" Steven offered hopefully. "I'll be  _Esteban Universidad_!"

        "It doesn't  _matter_  what your name is!" Ruby cried. "We're . . . well,  _look_  at us! We'll be shattered!"

        Sapphire stepped forward. "We won't stand out if we play the roles we were made for."

        She gave Opal a pointed look and the fusion nodded, shrinking down into two familiar Gems.

        "Amethyst! Pearl!" Steven cried.

        Pearl gave a tiny wave and Amethyst grinned. "What's up, Steve-o?"

        "Alright everybody, let's listen to Sapphire," Pearl said, giving Amethyst a gentle nudge.

        Sapphire shot her a grateful smile. "Today, I'm a Sapphire travelling with my personal Pearl." After gauging Pearl's response, she turned to the others. "And my Ruby guard."

        Ruby sighed, but nodded.

        "Esteban," Sapphire continued, "I brought you as an offering for the Zoo."

        Steven brought his hands to his face in mock horror.  _"Pobrecito Esteban!"_

        "What about me?"

        Sapphire turned to Amethyst. "You're accompanying me as extra muscle. You're the one who captured Esteban, and will be the one to lead him into the Zoo."

        "Muscle like them?" Amethyst glanced worriedly at the guards stationed outside. "But. . . I'm overcooked!"

        "You're perfect just the way you are," Pearl smiled, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

        Amethyst grumbled. "Thanks, P. . . but if I hold that form too long, it'll tire me out!"

        "We shouldn't be in there for too long," Sapphire insisted, and stepped forward to rest a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, if I've ever known an established shapeshifter, it's you."

        Amethyst's shoulders slumped. "I'll try my best."

        "We're all rusty," Sapphire reassured. "We just have to sell this long enough to find Greg."

        "Is this really going to work?" Pearl asked worriedly.

        "No."

        Everyone stiffened.

        "Just— stick together!" the smaller Gem said hurriedly. "Play it straight! Let's. . . change the future!"

        With a flash, the colours on her dress darkened and the star on her chest morphed into a pale diamond. Amethyst followed suit, remodelling her outfit and growing in size. Ruby made a disbelieving sound.

✧✧✧

"You'll never cage me, you rockheads!"

        The commotion made the Amethyst guards turn their heads. The motley crew filed out of the ship one by one, Steven kicking in Amethyst's muscular arms.

        As they advanced, the guards took stock of the newcomers. The Sapphire took lengthy, hurried strides, the Amethyst bumbled awkwardly and the Pearl followed with her knees bent for combat, eyes flicking around the room. The only Gem who seemed to be completely within her element was the Ruby, who stuck rather close to the Sapphire, but that was to be expected, as her personal guard.

        The fairer of the two guards shot her partner a look. These Gems had obviously been out of commission for quite a while. This could be fun.

        She spoke in a growl. "State your purpose."

        "I'm here to make a delivery to the Human Zoo," the Sapphire replied.

        The guards shared another look and grinned. "Bad news. The Human Zoo's shut down," the first continued, and advanced on the group, pressing her face close to the tiny human's. "Which means we'll just have to throw  _you_  into  _space_."

        Steven squirmed, sweat beading on his forehead. He felt Amethyst's arms tighten ever so slightly around him.

        "Heh! Look, he believed me," the guard suddenly said, and straightened, nudging her partner and sniggering.

        Sharp clacks echoed down the hallway and the Amethysts jumped to attention. In the doorway stood a well-built blue Gem, standing taller than the guards in white heels, her face fixed in a snarl.

        "What are you doing?" she demanded, grey eyes cutting into the guards.

         _"Nothing, Holly Blue Agate!"_  the guards stammered in unison, and straightened in identical salutes.

        The Agate surveyed the group before her disapprovingly before settling on Sapphire. She gasped and, in a show of violence that startled Steven, kicked one of the Amethysts hard in the shins. She grimaced in pain.

        "Why didn't you tell me there was a  _Sapphire_  here?" she hissed, making no effort to quieten her voice. "What have you miscreants been saying to them?!"

        "Nothing, Holly," the fair Amethyst insisted, arms rigid.

        Holly Blue Agate turned to the newcomers with a charming laugh. "You'll have to forgive them — they're from  _Earth_." She shot the guards a look.  _"Ahem! Apologise."_

        They turned obediently.  _"Forgive us."_

        Holly Blue delivered a swift punch to the closest Amethyst, knocking her into her companion, their forearm gems clinking sharply. They both shared a sympathetic look before trying again.  _"Forgive us, your Clarity."_

        "No use dwelling on the past," Sapphire said, a little hurriedly. "I've brought a new human for the collection."

        "How unprecedented!" Holly gasped. "Nothing for millennia, and then two humans back-to-back! Well, it's probably for the best. That first one wasn't in the. . . best condition."

        Steven gasped. "Dad! That's him!"

         _"Shh,"_  Ruby hushed, grabbing at his dangling foot. Amethyst eyed the Agate warily.

        "Oh, their incessant barking! What is it saying?" Holly Blue laughed again. "The other one was loud too. And all that thrashing about!"

        Steven felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

        "I'm sure Blue Diamond will want to thank you personally, but you  _just_  missed her!"

        Steven and Amethyst exhaled in unison.

        Holly Blue turned to the guards. "Amethyst, take this human to the—"

        "Wait!" Sapphire stepped forward in a panic, and then took a breath, steadying herself. "The thing is. . . we've travelled so far, and. . . it'd be a shame to leave so quickly. Perhaps you'd grant us a tour of the facility?"

        "I would be honoured!" Holly Blue said eagerly, and stepped aside to gesture through the doorway. "Right this way, your Grand Clarity!"

        The group filed through, but just as Amethyst would have passed the threshold, Holly Blue blocked her from entry. "Amethysts are to stay and guard the door," she said loudly.

        Amethyst bristled nervously. "Uhh, but. . ."

        "The  _door_." Under her icy gaze, Amethyst set Steven down, who was immediately taken up by Ruby as she passed through. And with that, Holly Blue turned and strode off with the others, leaving Amethyst behind with the guards. Pearl shot her a worried look over her shoulder before hastening to keep stride with Sapphire.

        Holly Blue grimaced and shot her a look, addressing her supposed owner. "Does your pearl always walk next to you?"

        "Ahahah, I'll just be, uh, right here," she stammered nervously, slowing to walk behind them.

        "Hmm,  _chatty_."

        The Agate's voice was demeaning. Pearl flushed.

        "This facility originally belonged to Pink Diamond and houses and staffs the otherwise useless quartzes she produced on what  _was_  her colony," Holly Blue droned. Steven noticed Sapphire wincing before the Agate picked up again with enthusiasm. "But Blue Diamond and her trusted Agate—that's me!—have been maintaining this place since the dawn of Era 2."

        Holly Blue stopped in front of an angled door and Sapphire caught herself beside her just in time. Reading her movements, the others slowed behind them.

        A few seconds passed.

        Holly Blue twisted to look at Pearl, but spoke to Sapphire. "Is she going to do it or. . . should I say something?"

        "Oh! Pearl, the door," Sapphire fumbled.

        "Hm? Oh! Right, right! I got it!" she rushed forward and stopped in front of a doorside panel, faltering as she scanned over the interface.

        "You are so patient with her!" the Agate mused, as if she wasn't there at all. "How  _do_  you do it?"

        Steven frowned.

        "As a Sapphire, I know it will happen eventually."

        Pearl managed to unlock the door a second later and stood by as they walked through.

        "That will be all," Holly Blue said, waving a dismissive hand at her.

        Pearl inclined her head, brows furrowed.

        "Sorry," Sapphire whispered as she passed.

        "Hang in there," Steven supplied. Ruby flashed her a thumbs-up.

        "Do keep up, pearl," Holly Blue called over her shoulder.

        "Ugh," she replied as she locked the door behind them.

        Holly Blue slowed beside another interface and activated a panel beneath their feet, which faded into transparency, treating them all to a bird's-eye view of the leviathan complex beneath them, hovering in space. Beyond it, they could make out the patrolling Red Eye.

        "The bottom half of this structure is devoted entirely to specimen containment," Holly Blue supplied, her voice taking on a condescending tone. "Apparently, humans don't take well to  _captivity_. But once you understand their needs, they're easy to control."

        She returned the panel to its original solid form and continued walking, jabbering as she went. "It's tragic that Pink Diamond's existence in this universe ended up being so finite, but what a selfless act for Blue Diamond to step forward and spend her own time and energy  _preserving_  this place in Pink Diamond's memory! It's a  _real_  testament to Blue Diamond's  _merciful_  and  _giving_  nature, don't you think?"

        "Oh— of course," Sapphire replied weakly.

        Beside Steven, Pearl growled.

        "Hold it together, Pearl," he whispered. "Our roles, remember? Gotta 'Esteban' it."

        "And past this way, our preservation sector, and here of course is the human disposal chute."

        Steven caught onto the Agate's last words with horrifying clarity. "Whaaaa—! How— How do you get in the Zoo?!"

        "Oh, there it goes again. With its hilarious noises."

        Steven gritted his teeth, sweat dripping.

        "So. . . how do you get in the Zoo?" Sapphire tried.

        "Excellent question, your Grand Clarity!" Holly Blue exclaimed, servility apparent. "On the rare occasion that we would need to enter the containment area, we would do so via this service door."

        The door she stopped in front of was engraved with curving patterns and two five-petalled flowers—one on each panel. Inside the flowers sat what looked like five-pointed equilateral diamonds. Off to the side was another dormant interface and framing the door were two polyfaceted pillars, carved in the midsection into what looked like human figures with very prominent ears.

        "Dad," Steven whispered to his lower-caste companions, "That door's how we get to Dad. We just need to come up with a distraction!"

        "Got it!" Ruby whispered back, and let go of him, looking around for anything of use. Pearl came up empty-handed before her and shrugged.

        "As a one-way access point there are no risks of escape. In fact, it's only been used once for a human—"

         _"EXPLOSION!"_

        Holly Blue turned to the animated Ruby.  _"Pardon me?"_

        "Uhh," Ruby stammered. Steven sighed at her impulsive nature. "I just remembered I left the gravity engine. . . idling! I'm sorry, my Sapphire I'm, so forgetful and disposable!"

        "What?" the other replied, a hint of panic in her voice.

        Ruby flicked her eyes at the door.

        ". . . a, foreseen turn of events! Yes," she recovered, turning to Holly Blue, who leaned closer, ever attentive. "It is going to overheat and explode. The damage will be massive."

        "My  _word_! I don't know why anyone trusts rubies with those  _ships_! This is what  _happens_!"

        "If we hurry, we can disable the engine before any damage is done. It should only take  _five minutes_ , so everyone be on your  _best behaviour_."

        Turning away so the Agate wouldn't see, Sapphire lifted her fringe and blinked purposefully at the Gems. Ruby and Steven winked back at her, leaving Pearl confused.

        "This way, your Clarity," Holly Blue gestured, "Although I'm sure  _you_  don't need  _my_  guidance."

        As soon as their footsteps receded, Pearl burst. " _Ugh!_  Did you  _see_  how she treated those Amethysts? Hitting and kicking them,  _screaming_  at them for no reason! She is so, so. . .  _conservative_  and  _uptight_! She treats any Gem below a Sapphire like  _dirt_! And the way she dismissed my—  _our_  Amethyst! If she mistreats her, when I get back we're going to throw her  _straight_  out of the loading bay—"

        "I know, Pearl," Steven hushed. "But we don't have much time! We have to open this door!"

        Pearl took a steadying breath. "Of course. I'm sorry. Just. . . give me some time."

        She padded over to the interface and activated the screen, pausing. "It's different than the other ones. . ." She examined the screen before swiping her finger across the panel. It flashed red.

        "Hmm. . ."

        She swiped in another direction this time. The panel flashed red.

        Twenty seconds and forty-three combinations later she stepped back and raised her hands in defeat. "I actually can't figure this out at all."

         _"What?"_  Ruby cried. "We don't have time for this! Steven, help me open the door!"

        "Okay!"

        "And Pearl, hack faster!"

        Sixty-nine combinations, ninety-seven punches, forty-three scratch marks and twelve flaming footsteps later they still found themselves at square one. Ruby sank to the floor, wailing frustratedly against the polished glass.

         _"I am_ so glad _we're almost back! I was really enjoying the_ tour _!"_

        Sapphire's droning voice echoed down the corridor and they all froze, Pearl frantically rushing forward to try and rub off the blackened footsteps on the door.

        "Yes, I can tell by the tone of your voice," Holly Blue smiled. "Thank you so much again for averting that crisis—  _Oh my!_ —"

        She stopped with a scandalised gasp as she noticed the defaced door. Sapphire clasped her hands over her mouth.

         _"What is going on?"_  the Agate demanded, striding purposefully forward. Steven gulped. He could feel the temperature rise as Ruby grew tense. Sapphire hurried behind her.

        "Oh, well, I'm sure there's a reason for—"

        "Did you see the Amethyst that did this?"

        Hearing Holly Blue's words, all four exhaled loudly. She stepped forward and examined the damage. " _Really_ , we have  _guests_!"

        Thumping footsteps echoed down the hallway and two miscoloured Amethyst guards came sprinting up.

        "Holly Blue Agate! We have important news for you!"

        "We do not RUN or  _SHOUT IN THESE HALLWAYS_!" she bellowed.

        The Amethyst's voice dropped a few decibels. "I'm sorry, i-it's just—"

        "How am I supposed to know what you're saying when you're MUMBLING?"

        The guards glanced at each other before one spoke. "I'm sorry Holly Blue Agate it's just—"

        "Blue Diamond is on her way!" the other finished.

        "Oh my Stars! She's back already!" Holly Blue exclaimed, shoving Ruby and Steven out of the way and sashaying forward. "You two,  _best_  behaviour! Shoulders  _squared_! Minds  _cleared_! Backs  _straight_!" With each emphasised word she squeezed their shoulders, smashed their heads together and punched their backs. Out of the corner of his eye, Steven could see Pearl's clenched fists trembling.

        Sporting a cheery smile, Holly Blue turned to Sapphire. "And surely Blue Diamond will want to thank you  _personally_  for this special delivery, your Grand Clarity!"

        "Yes, I suppose. . . she will," Sapphire replied meekly.

        Ruby's face contorted in panic. The temperature rose another degree.

        The heat seemed to fuel Holly Blue Agate in her violent rampage. "Well don't just stand there, you useless chunks of earth!" she shouted at the Amethysts. "Make yourself useful and escort that human to the assimilation bay!"

        Without hesitation they moved forward and bundled Steven up, striding past Holly Blue.

        "But— the tour!" he heard Sapphire cry behind him.

        "Oh, my Clarity, you flatter me. But we really must get ready—our Diamond will be here at any moment!"

        Three dark, closed-off corridors later they came to a stop at a panel embedded into the wall. "Let me go, you bigger Amethyst!" Steven cried, squirming in the guard's grip.

        "Huh," she mused. "These newer humans are so spunky. In you go!"

        And with that, she dropped him into the opening, panels sliding closed behind him.

        He barely had time to sit up before the space became awash with neon light and the ground beneath him began moving. When he turned, he found himself on some sort of conveyor belt, walled off from space by a large transparent tube, being ferried towards the top of the huge floating structure they called the Human Zoo.

        As soon as the pink walls closed in around him, he became subject to dozens of harassing blue digits, capturing his profile, examining his teeth, squishing his face, checking his pupil dilation, taking his temperature, shoving themselves up his nostrils, undressing him, disinfecting him, cladding him in naturalist garb and finally attaching a pair of futuristic accessories to his earlobes. When finally the blue digits retreated, he found himself walled off in a transparent cube.

        He stood, shouting and waving his hands animatedly, expecting the worst. "Okay! What else, huh? What else you got for me?! I'm on that dad-mission adrenaline rush, and ready for whatever space junk you have next! Futuristic cattle prods, human horseshoes, whatever you got,  _come and give me!_ "

        What happened next wasn't quite what he expected. From somewhere above him a rush of water crashed down and filled the cube, levitating him off the ground. A human-sized hole opened beneath him in the bottom of the cube and a strong current pulled him through, sending him plummeting in liquid down, down, zigzagging through the atmosphere, tumbling and turning, and finally tossing him up (up?) into the air, and back down again as he crashed into shallow water. He pushed himself up, coughing and gagging, and opened his eyes.

        What he saw wasn't at all anything like what he expected. He was surrounded by sand, and beyond that, lush green grass—blossoming trees framed the sky and the dome above him was bright and blue and housed its own miniature sun, beaming down warm light and setting the water sparkling.

        On the bank across from him, sat on the checkered grass were three figures, all clad in purple and white robes, passing fingers through braided hair and leaving colourful flowers in their wake. The closest looked to be a young woman with fair skin and blonde hair that bounced around her shoulders. The farthest was a healthy man of around the same age with smooth, dark skin and curly black hair. The middlemost was stout and tubby, pale skin peeking out from underneath clothes and sharply meeting with a line of sunburn. Their hair was incredibly long and on top of their head sat a delicate flower crown. When they turned around, Steven could make out a trimmed beard and an easy smile—

         _"Dad?"_


	7. That Will Be All (Zoo Arc: part 3/3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT: "do the zoo arc. technically not much would change but it'd be funny to see pearl fuming over holly blue abusing all the amethysts there and ranting about how mad she'd be." — for scaldera3 on Wattpad! Hope you enjoy! :)

"You two are in  _big_ trouble," the Amethyst had snarled, and promptly marched them out of the paradise.

        A maze of darkened corridors later they finally found themselves in front of a squat door. She opened the panels using the interface and dropped them on the floor inside.

         "These the ones?" she said.

        Ominous laughter echoed from all points of the room and a large Amethyst with pale hair advanced on them.

        Steven squeaked, closing his eyes—

        "Gotcha!"

        The playful tone caught him off guard and he raised his head to a much smaller and friendlier Gem.

        "Amethyst?!"

        She burst out laughing. "Hey, Steve-o!"

        "Your faces!" their captor crooned.

        "You were right, that was priceless!" another cried, and soon the whole chamber was rumbling with laughter.

        "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I had to!" Amethyst apologised, and held out a hand to help him up. "Please don't tell Pearl about that! Hey, what are you  _wearing_?"

        "What's going on?!" he cried desperately.

        "These Amethysts— they're all from Earth! They're from the Prime Kindergarten! Wait— hey, 8XL!"

        A dark-skinned Amethyst across the room smiled. "Yeah?"

        "Steven, I'm an eight!" his friend shot a pointed look at the other Gem. "Tell 'em, tell 'em!"

        She grinned. "The Amethyst under me never popped out. We were all waiting and. . . pfft, nothing."

        "I'm 8XM! Facet-5, Cut-8XM, that's me!" Amethyst said excitedly, and swung her finger at the others. "That's 8XG, that's 8XH. . ."

        "I'm J," the Gem in question corrected.

        "Aw jeez, sorry, I'm worse than Holly Blue!" Amethyst mourned.

        "Aren't we all?"

        Another ripple of laughter.

        "Prime, Prime, Prime. You Amethysts are so clique-y." Steven turned to a slender orange Gem across the room.

        "Skinny's a Jasper!" Amethyst explained excitedly. "There are Gems here from the Beta Kindergarten too! Hey, where's Carnelian?"

        "Celebrating," Skinny grinned.

 _"I'm not the shortest anymore!"_  A tiny red Gem burst out of nowhere and snatched Amethyst up in a tackle, prompting more laughter.

        "Hey!" Steven called over the din. "Please, if you don't mind me asking, we really need your help. We came in with Sapphire, Ruby and Pearl—we've gotta find them and get out of—"

        At that moment, the door behind him slid open with a hiss, and a familiar snobby voice floated through.

        "I'll only be a moment," said Holly Blue Agate, and in a panic, Steven grabbed Greg's hand and pulled him off behind a cluster of Amethysts.

        Holly Blue strode in calmly, door sliding shut behind her, and then promptly burst. " _What_  are you all doing in here?  _Get to your stations!_  Even you hideous off-colour Betas, get  _out_  of your cubbies and into your  _places_!" She went about, shoving Gems aside, pulling them from their resting compartments. "It's the  _least_  you can do for the Diamond that kept your worthless sorry gems service."

        A quiet ripple went through the room. "That's right, Blue is back already!" her voice dropped dangerously low. "Now go pretend your filthy vein quartz is capable of GRATITUDE!" she strode over to the door and unlocked it, turning to glare at the mob.  _"GO, GO, GO!"_

        Steven noticed Ruby, Sapphire and Pearl scrambling on the other side of the door. It looked like they had been attempting to listen in. They hurriedly crushed themselves against the wall as the horde of Amethysts thundered past, Steven and Greg rushing to keep up and stay hidden.

        "Disperse, my Diamond is waiting!" Holly shouted.

        "Run! Just run," Amethyst said in a panic, pushing them down the corridor. "I'll find you, go!"

✧✧✧

Steven activated and ran through the first door he saw. Perhaps not such a wise decision, as it shut with a  _clang!_  behind them as soon as they were inside. When he raised his eyes, he was surprised to be met with hundreds—no,  _thousands_ —of pink bubbled gems hovering around the room.

        "Who bubbled all these Gems?" he whispered.

        They were standing on raised platform, accessable by a large set of stairs against either wall. Dotted around the room were tall faceted pillars, and settled in the recess between the stairs was a gigantic plush pillow. The whole room was pink. When Steven craned his neck, he found above him not a pink ceiling, but an enormous glass dome. Beyond the glass, tiny jewel-like stars glittered against an inky void. Startlingly close, a gigantic orange ball—a ringed planet—loomed over the comparatively tiny room.

        Greg gazed up at the masses of bubbles clustered around the ceiling. "Wow. It's kinda like a birthday party in here."

        Steven's eyes began to water, and he started, pulling his father behind one of the towering columns. "Oh no—we gotta hide!"

        And not a second too soon. On the far side of the room, a dizzyingly large set of doors slid open to reveal the same hunched hooded figure from before. At her feet stood her small blue companion.

        Blue Diamond padded into the room, her soft footsteps resounding like thunder. _"Pearl, close the door,"_  came her low voice.

        The Gem behind her obediently locked the door and stood by, waiting.

        With a sigh, Blue Diamond sank to her knees on the prepared cushion and lifted slender blue hands to push back the hood. Her face was long and thin, with a dainty nose and disproportionately plump lips. Her eyes shone with tears, shadowed by dark bags, and even as Steven watched, the water trailed down her face as she blinked. The pale hair that tumbled from her hood reached just below her shoulders, and at the front, it hung in a connected loop across her chest, framing the large blue diamond settled against her breast.

        Unexpectedly, the door opened again with a groan, and there stood another tall figure, this one rigid and proud. The spiked helmet on her head gave her an extra few feet of height and the gemstone against her chest glinted warmly.

         _Yellow Diamond._

        There was a frown on her face when she spoke.  _"Please tell me you're joking."_

        She took a few booming steps forward.  _"You only just left, and you're already_ back _?"_

         _"Yellow! Wh-What are you doing here?"_  Blue Diamond straightened and wiped at her face with a sleeve.

         _"I'm here to bring you back to reality, Blue,"_  she replied, as if that were obvious.

         _"I'm fine, just. . . leave me alone."_

         _"It's been thousands of years, Blue, and you_ still _can't bring yourself to destroy these Gems?"_  she said, gesturing at the throng of bubbles.  _"She was SHATTERED by a Rose Quartz—the entire cut of Gem deserves the same fate."_

         _"But they were_ hers _,"_  Blue fought meekly.

         _"They should be wiped out of existence, not kept safe in_ bubbles _!"_

        Steven pulled his father back to the door they came through. The interface would not respond to his fingers.

         _"Yellow, she made them. This is all we have left of her. These gems, this place, and the Earth."_

         _"I thought we agreed we need to put that planet and this whole_ debacle _behind us!"_

        Noticing their vulnerable position, Steven hurried back over to the pillars, Greg in tow.

         _"_ Why _can't you just let me_ grieve _."_

         _"You can't keep coming here forever!"_

         _"Why_ not _?"_

        Greg tapped his shoulder. When Steven turned, his eyes settled upon the tall doors on the far side of the room.

        Behind them, Yellow Diamond sighed.  _"Pearl. Do something. Sing for her—make her feel better."_

        "Yes, my Diamond," her Pearl replied with enthusiasm. She cleared her throat and nudged her blue companion, and together they struck up a warbling tune.

        With the noise as a diversion, Steven and his dad ran behind the next pillar.

         _"_ Why _would you want to be here? What do you ever see here that doesn't make you feel_ worse _than you do?"_  Yellow Diamond bent down to meet Blue's eyes.  _"Tell me, what's the use of_ feeling _, Blue?"_

        Blue Diamond hung her head, which urged Yellow to continue her lecture.  _"Why would you want to save the subjects that_ destroyed _her?"_  she stood and with a wave of her arms cleared the bubbles from around her head.  _"Why keep up her silly Zoo?_ _An army has a use; they can go and fight a war. A Sapphire has a use; she can tell you the outcome."_

        Hiding behind Blue Diamond's looming figure, they crossed to the next pillar, and closer to the door. They now stood at the top of the first flight of stairs.

         _"An Agate terrifies, a Lapis Lazuli terraforms—where's their Diamond when they need her, Blue?"_

        Blue Diamond, in need of support, turned to the nearest pillar and wrapped her arms around it, resting her head in the crook of her elbow. If her eyes had been open, she would have seen the two humans. Panicked, they scurried down the stairs and away from her.

        Yellow Diamond approached and raised her voice.  _"You've got to be a leader, Blue!"_  she paused.  _"Yes, we still love her. . . but now there's nothing we can do."_

        The two Diamonds turned away and Steven took the opportunity to grab his dad's hand and run across the small landing to the next staircase. Now all that was between them was a flight of stairs and a few feet of exposed floor.

        At Yellow's signal, the Pearls' melody took on an inspiring tone, almost like an anthem or a chant.

         _"How can you stand to be here with all of this?"_  she continued,  _"You're drowning in your own regret—wouldn't you rather forget her?"_

        Her only response was an icy glare from Blue. Evidently, that wasn't an option, but Yellow didn't seem to take the hint.

        "Won't it be grand to get rid of it all?" she smiled drily.  _"Let's make a plan of attack—we need to start looking forward, not back. We can't_ change _what has happened."_

With Blue Diamond's attention fixed on her, Steven and Greg cleared the last flight of stairs, resigning themselves to hide behind the furthest pillar in the event that the door would open.

         _"Yes,"_  Yellow Diamond continued, tone softening, and she knelt in front of her companion, taking Blue's hands in her own,  _"Of course we still love her, and we're always thinking of her."_  She stood, pulling Blue gently to her feet. "Don't you know I miss her too?"

        Her voice broke, and she pulled away to gaze at the opposite wall. When she next spoke, her usually strong voice was fragile, and she steadied herself against a pillar, squeezing her eyes shut. "But what's the use of feeling blue?"

        Expression softening, Blue Diamond padded over to her and laid a steadying palm against her back. As if on cue, the large doors opened, startling Steven and prompting Blue to snatch her hand away again.

        "And we have arrived," came Holly Blue's voice. "That will be all, pearl." She gave two claps, dismissing the latter (Steven cringed), and clacking into the chamber with Sapphire and Ruby in tow.

        When the door slid shut, Holly Blue bowed before her leader. "My Diamond," she fawned. "My gracious, wondrous, luminous, lustrous Diamond. . ." she lifted her head, and froze. ". . .s! Oh, my! It's truly an honour to bask in your radiance!. . .es."

        "Get to the point, agate," Yellow Diamond replied brusquely.

        She cleared her throat. "Yes, of course. My deepest apologies. You'll be pleased to know that your Sapphire has completed your special delivery!" She stepped aside, gesturing to the small Gem.

        Blue Diamond turned, narrowed eyes settling on the group. "What special delivery?"

        "Uh. . . the special delivery you requested from Earth, of course," Holly stammered, trying to conceal her surprise.

        "I never  _asked_  any Sapphire to go to Earth," Blue Diamond replied smoothly. Yellow glanced at her in question.

        Sapphire stood rigid, hands behind her back. "I. . . Uhm. . ."

        As Steven watched, crackling ice crystals formed around her skirts.

        "Oh no," he whispered. "She's freezing up!"

        Standing behind her, Ruby slowly reached forward and gave her hand a squeeze. Some of her anxiety seemed to melt away.

        ". . . My future vision foresaw you, my Diamond, desiring more. . . humans, for the zoo, so I. . . acted accordingly."

        A nervous Holly Blue glanced beseechingly at her Diamond, a strained smile fixed on her face.

        After a few nervewracking seconds, Blue Diamond sighed. "It's true. The window for preserving Earth specimens is closing."

        Steven exhaled.

        "Is  _that_  what you want?" Yellow Diamond turned. "Sapphire, has the cluster emerged yet?"

        "No, it has not."

        She gave Blue a wry smile. "Then there's still time. That will be all!" Much like the Agate, she gave two precise claps, dismissing the Gems and settling a hand on the small of her companion's back as they both turned away.

        "My Diamonds," Holly Blue bowed, and turned and strutted out with her company of two.

        Steven and Greg barely made it out just in time before the doors crashed shut behind them.

        Once outside, they cautiously turned to Holly Blue, facing away from them. Steven noticed, with some relief, that Amethyst had also found her way back to them.

_"TWO Diamonds!"_

        They all jumped at Holly's sudden outburst. "I can't believe it. Can you believe it? Oh well of course you can you probably foresaw the whole thing," she motormouthed.

        "Of course! No surprises here," Sapphire replied, following behind, and the rest cautiously followed suit.

        "I  _never_  expected to see  _Yellow Diamond_  in  _person_! What a commanding presence—you can just  _feel_  strength and confidence radiating  _from_  her. Don't misunderstand me, of course," she gushed, suddenly whirling around, and in a split second, Amethyst grew to hide the two humans, who ducked hurriedly behind her. "I'll  _always_  be in Blue's confidence, but if I  _had_  been made for Yellow, you wouldn't see  _me_  complaining!"

        She turned and continued down the hallway. Breathing a collective sigh of relief, the Gems followed, Amethyst shrinking down comfortably.

        "I  _do_  hope they  _appreciate_  all my hard work to preserve the Pink Diamond legacy. It would  _really_  make it worth being  _stationed_  here with these sorry excuses for Gems."

        Pearl's brow furrowed again. They slipped past the Amethyst doorguards, who straightened and said nothing.

        Holly Blue sighed. "It's a shame though. This outpost is so remote, I was beginning to think we'd been forgotten."

        One by one, they slipped past her, aiming for the Ruby ship.

        "But we  _haven't_! Two Diamonds, one day, what an honour! I don't think anything could spoil this for me!"

        She turned with a smile to stowaways—two escaped humans, an ushering Pearl and overcooked Amethyst, a frozen Ruby and the Sapphire, commandeering the whole thing.

        Under the Agate's cold gaze, Steven gave a nervous laugh.

        Holly Blue was not amused. "What. Is.  _THE MEANING OF THIS?!_ " she bellowed. Beyond her, the door to the museum was suddenly crowded with purple faces.

        " _Why_  are these two outside the containment area?" she demanded.

        "Holly Blue, I can explain," Sapphire began, stepping forward.

        "No need, your Clarity," she said with a wave of her hand. "Not even  _you_  could have foreseen how  _incompetent these Amethysts are._ "

        There was a flash of light behind her head and she raised a hand to the back of her neck. "Well, if you want something done right, you just do it your _self_!" She drew and snapped her electric whip with emphasis, fixing hard eyes on the humans. " _You two_  are coming with  _me_!"

        She slashed her whip and it darted forward like a snake, coursing with deadly electricity.

        There was a flash of light and the electricity fizzled and died against skin.

        Garnet stood, clenching the nullified whip. Behind her, Pearl drew her spear. Holly Blue gasped, horrified that a Sapphire should engage in such a low act. Steven almost giggled.

        "Garnet!" Steven said excitedly.

        "Steven, get Greg onto the ship," the fusion replied.

        "Yes please," the latter agreed, and scurried through the door.

        "We'll handle this noise," Garnet smirked, summoning her visor.

        Pearl leaped forward, slashing at the whip with her spear and disengaging the current, before Amethyst darted forward, grabbing the loose end of the whip and disappearing in a ball of light.

        Using spin-dash to zoom around, she effortlessly tangled Holly Blue up in her own whip, earning a collective cheer from the Amethyst guards. Returning to a stationary position, she smiled as Pearl stepped up and wrapped her arms around her. The two merged in a blur of white light and Opal's eyes blinked open. She smirked down at the scandalised Agate.

        "I've been waiting to do this all day," she said, and delivered a swift punch to the Gem's midsection, sending her flying backwards and tumbling to the ground at the feet of the Amethysts with a loud groan. They all burst out laughing.

        "What are you doing? They're traitors - destroy them!" she cried, rolling onto her knees and shoulders.

        The guards' only response was to wave over her head at the slender fusion. Opal blew them all a sweet kiss.

        "I'll report you to the Diamonds," Holly Blue screeched, finally dissipating her whip and sitting up. "All of you, you'll all be  _shattered_!"

        Opal sashayed forward and knelt in front of her. "You're  _really_  gonna tell the  _Diamonds_  that you allowed a band of traitorous rebels to infiltrate a highly secure facility and escape from right under your  _careful watch_? Doesn't sound like a wise thing to do, Holly Blue~"

        She waved a finger in her face like one would to a naughty child and stood, leaping up onto the ramp of the hovering Ruby ship. "So do yourself a favour and keep your mouth  _shut_."

        She gave one last wave to the Amethysts. "That will be all," she cooed. Beside her, Steven raised his hands and delivered two precise claps, and they swept out of the bay to the guards' cheers.

✧✧✧

Inside the ship, they all laughed, Ruby once again seated at the controls and Sapphire perched on the dashboard next to her.

        "Thanks so much for comin' to get me," Greg said gratefully. "That has to be like the third craziest weekend I've ever had." They all gazed out at the pink structure, looped by two enormous hand ships - one blue, one yellow - backlit by the enormous orange planet.

        "Dad, I'm really sorry I got you into all this," Steven said, hanging his head. "This whole thing started 'cause. . . I wanted answers."

        "You don't have to be sorry about a thing," he smiled. "I hope you found what you were looking for."

        "I did. I found you."

        At the controls, Ruby smiled. Then, she keyed the coordinates into the interface, and the ship warped away from zoos, Diamonds, and Holly Blues. . . back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just here to say that the capitalisation of Gems' names referred to whether or not they were actually viewed as people by the speaker. In the case of Holly Blue, whenever she refers to any Gems below a Sapphire (as Pearl points out) the name is lowercase, as she views them as little more than servants.
> 
> And also that the shift between italicising the Diamonds' speech and leaving it as default is the differentiation between Steven seeing them as scary space tyrants and coming to realise that they are just as much people too.


	8. The Power Couple and The Diamond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT: "What if you made Steven fuse with opal instead of garnet from the change your mind scene. That would be amazing. I would love to see what you do with it" — for xAlphaAshx on Wattpad! Hope you enjoy! :)

Kyanite's violet form dissipated and Steven and Sapphire stepped apart. Ruby noiselessly dropped down beside them, elongated arm shrinking to its normal size.

        "Nice form, Sapphy!"

        Sapphire gasped, as if just remembering her reformation, and gazed down at herself in delight. Whereas her previous dress had trailed along the floor, now the opaque, cyan material reached just below her knees, exposing periwinkle-stockinged legs and feet. A cerulean bodice now covered her torso and could be seen through the skirt, secured at the waist by a white band that dipped at the front. Her sleeves remained white, and her gloves were shorter, now stretching to halfway up her forearm.

        "Oh, this is refreshing," she breathed, and then her visible eye lit up, fringe swept back from the fusion. "Steven, we fused!" she smiled delightedly, and stepped closer to give him a fleeting hug.

        In that moment, Bismuth, Peridot, Lapis and Connie descended beside them.

        "Are you guys okay?" Connie burst out.

        "Almost," Steven returned, and gazed down at the gems in his hands—one white and smooth, the other purple and faceted.

        "Opal, we're up against a giant robot—we need you. I'm here," he said hopefully. "I love you!"

        The gems instantly set aglow, and Steven was again lost in an amalgam of white, which then expanded, growing taller and more defined, until a shock of spikes exploded around its head and it opened its four eyes.

        The silver-blue fusion immediately leapt to attention, summoning their modified bow and arrow—which now appeared more like a rounded triangle lashed through with a smooth lasso. With a burst of light a pink shield materialised in one of their four hands and they clashed it together with the bizarre contraption, yanking on the threaded lasso. The shield disappeared in a convex blur and, aiming the pointed end of the blur at the descending robotic foot above them, the fusion ripped the lasso free and the spinning top went flying, exploding in a cloud of glittery smoke on contact with the mech. The huge, conjoined ship stumbled in a sluggish fashion, as if backpedalling in water.

        "Accurate and destructive," the fusion smirked, and twirled triumphantly.

        "Wow!!" Ruby cried, throwing her hands in the air. Beside her, Sapphire smiled proudly.

        Peridot looked pleasantly envious.

        "Alright!" Connie cried. "Go, uh . . . go . . ."

        "Moonstone," the fusion supplied. Their voice was like a sigh. They were around Opal's size, with a slender figure and aquamarine skin. They stood on the soles of bare feet. Icy spikes shot back from their head in an attempt at hair, and shone with creamy streaks. All three centred gems glinted against their body in hues of pale blue and off-white. They had no facial features to speak of except for their two sets of lidded, sleek eyes, the topmost of which were lined with azure strokes, oddly reminiscent of eyeshadow.

        Steven's jeans now only just extended past the tops of their thighs and his shirt had seemingly grown shorter, now exposing the midriff (and his miscoloured gem). Their feet tapered to graceful points and added stalactites pointed away from their heels. Though everything about them seemed sharp, their eyes were soft and smiling.

        "Moonstone," Connie began. "What are we gonna do? White Diamond is never going to listen, and she's never going to let us leave."

        "Then we shall have to  _make_  her listen." The fusion's eyes lilted coyly. "Ruby, Sapphire, if you're comfortable, I think it would be best for Garnet and I to climb the Diamond ship. Are you in?"

        The two Gems shared a tense look. A few seconds ticked by.

        "If Ruby can tolerate taking a back seat," Sapphire finally said. Her lips quirked in a smile.

        "As long as we make it quick," Ruby fired, giving her a playful push.

        Moonstone exhaled and gave a tinkling laugh. "Perfect. Let's go."

        A moment later, the two fusions were sprinting across to the mech, and leapt in unison onto a gargantuan pink leg, energised digits locking onto the smooth surface. The remaining Crystal Gems' cheers spurred them on as they began to climb.

        The leviathan mech, though, had suspiciously ceased all movement. The moment Garnet reached up to scrabble for purchase on the ship's "thigh", the robot dropped jarringly onto one knee and raised its arms, fingers crooked.

        "Uh oh," Garnet said.

        The giant hands swung down and knocked Moonstone flying. They soared over the Gem gathering on the ground and faceplanted, unfusing and rolling apart.

        "Steven! Opal!" Garnet called out in worry. The hand ship moved closer and she reached out, summoning her gauntlets and sending electricity coursing through the circuits, before breaking apart to duck under the spasming limb.

        Sapphire grabbed Ruby's hands in her own and launched them both off the mech, skirts catching the wind as she floated them both down.

        "Are you two okay?" Sapphire asked, kneeling beside a face-down Opal. Ruby helped Steven to his feet.

        "We need to be bigger," Opal replied, sitting up.

        "Then let's fuse—all of us!" They all turned to a beaming Steven. "It's the only way we'll get up to her head!"

        "YEAH! I'M IN!" Ruby punched the air.

        "I'm in too." Sapphire nodded with decision.

        "Then it's decided." Opal pushed herself to her feet and set her hands on her hips. "It's time to form Obsidian."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided in the end to make a parallel of Sunstone for this fusion, with no colour origin or mineral bases whatsoever. But my love for parallels outweighed the negative aspects of this fusion for me. If you would like to see some sketched renders of Moonstone and their weapon, you can head over to my Instagram, @tatttletale.ig !


	9. ✧ Fusion Chart ✧

In case you don't quite understand the basics of the Opal AU, here's the rundown:

 **Opal**  is in Garnet's role as a stone-cold Betty fusion  
—  **Amethyst**  is in Ruby's role as a lovestruck guard  
—  **Pearl**  is in Sapphire's role as the lovestruck servant of a blind Sapphire

 **Ruby**  is in Amethyst's role as the goofy soldier with self-esteem issues

 **Sapphire**  is in Pearl's role as Rose Quartz's precise and obsessive confidant

 **Steven and the rest of the cast**  stays the same

* * *

✧  **Alexandrite**  ✧  
 **She/Her**

 _Canon role_  
Alexandrite

 _Components_  
Opal (Pearl + Amethyst), Ruby and Sapphire

 _Gemstone meaning_  
Good fortune, love, balance between physical and spiritual

 _Mineral origins_  
• Ruby is red corundum, which is an alumina, or aluminium oxide (contains aluminium, oxygen), is anhydrous (doesn't contain water), and is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary).  
• Sapphire is blue corundum, which is an alumina, is anhydrous, and is found in all three types of rock.  
• Opal is a silica, or silicon dioxide (contains silicon, oxygen), is hydrous (contains water), and is formed in igneous and sedimentary rock.  
• Alexandrite is a chrysoberyl, which is an aluminate beryllium, or beryllium aluminium oxide (contains beryllium, aluminium, oxygen), and also contains traces of chromium, which causes strong light absorption in the yellow and blue parts of the spectrum. Alexandrite is anhydrous, and is found in metamorphic rock. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite make the cut as a scientifically perfect mineral fusion as it lacks the core elements silicon and carbon (for quartz and diamond, respectively).

 _Personality_  
Alexandrite is relatively unstable like she is represented in canon, having more of a fractured personality and displaying traits of Ruby, Sapphire and Opal respectively, Opal being an extremely stable fusion. The personalities of Alexandrite's components continue to conflict when they do not share a common objective. In combat, Alexandrite is a relatively narrow-minded and powerful force, in which Sapphire's and Pearl's virtues come through the strongest in her desire for peace. Adversely, it is this desire that drives her in battle, as she believes the end justifies the means and that she may use force to settle a situation.

 

✧  **Andalusite**  ✧  
 **They/Them**

 _Canon role_  
Smoky Quartz

 _Components_  
Steven + Ruby

 _Gemstone meaning_  
Self-realisation, rebalancing, realignment, resolution, protection

 _Mineral origins_  
• Rose quartz is a silica, or silicon dioxide (contains silicon, oxygen), is anhydrous (doesn't contain water), and is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary).  
• Ruby is red corundum, which is an alumina, or aluminium oxide (contains aluminium, oxygen), is anhydrous, and is found in all three types of rock.  
• Andalusite is an aluminosilicate (contains aluminium, silicon, oxygen), is anhydrous, and is found in igneous and metamorphic rock. Andalusite meets all the chemical requirements for being a scientifically valid fusion of quartz and corundum.

 _Personality_  
Andalusite takes much after Smoky Quartz in having low self-esteem and and being self-derogatory in the beginning. Andalusite is happy-go-lucky and brash, usually favouring strength and physical activity over problem solving.

 

✧  **Euclase**  ✧  
 **She/Her**

 _Canon role_  
Sardonyx

 _Components_  
Sapphire + Opal

 _Gemstone meaning_  
Happiness, truth, synchronicity, spirituality, peace, inner strength, inner clarity, straightforwardness, communication, intuition

 _Mineral origins_  
• Sapphire is blue corundum, which is an alumina, or aluminium oxide (contains aluminium, oxygen), is anhydrous (doesn't contain water), and is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary).  
• Opal is a silica, or silicon dioxide (contains silicon, oxygen), is hydrous (contains water), and is formed in igneous and sedimentary rock.  
• Euclase is a beryllium aluminium hydroxide silicate (beryllium, aluminium, hydrogen + oxygen, silicon, oxygen), is hydrous, and is formed in igneous rock. Euclase meets all the chemical and environmental requirements for being a scientifically valid fusion of corundum and opal.

 _Personality_  
Euclase is elegant and prim, and is very much an overdramatic fusion when at her most comfortable. She is less sociable than Sardonyx, and would much rather spend time with the people she knows well, rather than meet new people without her components having gotten to know them first. Whereas Sardonyx is themed as a TV show host, Euclase is more suited to the role of a designer or coordinator and melds well with the behind-the-scenes action, being a fussy perfectionist. She also has a hard time keeping secrets and hiding things from others, and will inform as straightforwardly and clearly as possible, even at the risk of negative consequences.

 

✧  **Garnet**  ✧  
 **** **She/Her**

 _Canon role_  
Opal

 _Components_  
Ruby + Sapphire

 _Gemstone meaning_  
Higher thinking, self-empowerment, strength, safety, prosperity, gratitude

 _Mineral origins_  
• Ruby is red corundum, which is an alumina, or aluminium oxide (contains aluminium, oxygen), is anhydrous (doesn't contain water), and is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary).  
• Sapphire is blue corundum, which is an alumina, is anhydrous, and is found in all three types of rock.  
• Garnet is generally a silicate (contains silicon, oxygen) and commonly contains aluminium, but the exact chemical composition varies with different species of garnet. Depending on the species, garnet can also contain magnesium, iron, manganese, calcium, and chromium. Garnet is anhydrous, and is found in igneous and metamorphic rock. It meets all the chemical requirements, plus added silicon, for being a scientifically valid fusion of ruby and sapphire.

 _Personality_  
Garnet is stoic and mysterious, occasionally flaunting a quirky and playful side when in Steven's company (one example is when she sings back to him in "Regular-Sized Giant Woman"). As a fusion, she shares Ruby's and Sapphire's concern for him and tends to protect him in a straightforward and brash way.

 

✧  **Iolite II**  ✧  
 **** **They/Them, She/Her**

 _Canon role_  
Rainbow Quartz 2.0

 _Components_  
Steven and Sapphire  
 **** **(TBD between Kyanite and Iolite)**

 _Gemstone meaning_  
Creativity, future vision

 _Mineral origins_  
• Rose quartz is a silica, or silicon dioxide (contains silicon, oxygen), is anhydrous (doesn't contain water), and is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary).  
• Sapphire is blue corundum, which is an alumina, or aluminium oxide (contains aluminium, oxygen), is anhydrous, and is found in all three types of rock.  
• Iolite is a magnesium iron aluminium cyclosilicate (contains magnesium, iron, aluminium, silicon, oxygen), is hydrous (contains water), and is found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Iolite meets all the chemical requirements for being a scientifically valid fusion of quartz and corundum.

 _Personality_  
We don't know much about the first Iolite's personality, but Iolite II is spiritual and insightful, combining Sapphire's future vision and wisdom with Steven's social perception. She is playful and childlike and it is hard to faze her, as she is almost painfully optimistic, with a viable solution to almost every problem.

 

✧  **Jadeite**  ✧  
 **She/Her**

 _Canon role_  
Sugilite

 _Components_  
Ruby + Opal

 _Gemstone meaning_  
Happiness, positivity, luck

 _Mineral origins_  
• Ruby is red corundum, which is an alumina, or aluminium oxide (contains aluminium, oxygen), is anhydrous (doesn't contain water), and is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary).  
• Opal is a silica, or silicon dioxide (contains silicon, oxygen), is hydrous (contains water), and is formed in igneous and sedimentary rock.  
• Jadeite is a sodium aluminosilicate (contains sodium, aluminium, silicon, oxygen), is hydrous, and is formed in igneous and metamorphic rock. Jadeite meets all the chemical and environmental requirements, plus added sodium, for being a scientifically valid fusion of corundum and opal.

 _Personality_  
Jadeite takes much after Sugilite in that she is rambunctious and tends to favour violence. On the positive side, due to Opal's loving relationship, Jadeite has high self-esteem and loves being together, as she feels powerful, but on the negative, she is extremely narrow-minded and tends to prioritise her own vision over others' advice. Ruby's rocky relationship with Sapphire also manifests negatively in Jadeite's fusion and she has a slight distaste for and unwillingness to cooperate with Sapphire.

 

✧  **Kyanite II**  ✧  
 **They/Them, She/Her  
**

 _Canon role_  
Rainbow Quartz 2.0

 _Components_  
Steven + Sapphire  
 **(TBD between Kyanite and Iolite)**

 _Gemstone meaning_  
Meditation, attunement, balance

 _Mineral origins_  
• Rose quartz is a silica, or silicon dioxide (contains silicon, oxygen), is anhydrous (doesn't contain water), and is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary).  
• Sapphire is blue corundum, which is an alumina, or aluminium oxide (contains aluminium, oxygen), is anhydrous, and is found in all three types of rock.  
• Kyanite is an aluminosilicate (contains aluminium, silicon, oxygen), is anhydrous, and is found in metamorphic rocks. Kyanite meets all the chemical requirements for being a scientifically valid fusion of quartz and corundum.

 _Personality_  
We don't know much about the first Kyanite's personality, but Kyanite II is spiritual and insightful, combining Sapphire's future vision and wisdom with Steven's social perception. She is playful and childlike and it is hard to faze her, as she is almost painfully optimistic, with a viable solution to almost every problem.

 

✧  **Malachite**  ✧  
 **She/Her**

 _Canon role_  
Malachite

 _Components_  
Jasper + Lapis Lazuli

 _Gemstone meaning_  
Abundance, manifestation, intention, amplification of negative and positive energy

 _Mineral origins  
_ • Jasper is an opaque quartz, which means it is a silica, or silicon dioxide (contains silicon, oxygen). Jasper is anhydrous (doesn't contain water), and is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary).  
• Lapis Lazuli is not a mineral in itself, but a combination of minerals, and is a sodium calcium aluminium silicate sulphur sulphate (contains all of above elements; the anion silicate, containing silicon and oxygen; and the ion sulphate, containing sulphur and oxygen). Lapis is anhydrous, and is found in metamorphic rock.  
• Malachite is a copper carbonate hydroxide (contains copper, carbon, oxygen, and the anion hydroxide, which contains hydrogen and oxygen). Malachite is hydrous (contains water), and is found in metamorphic and sedimentary rock. Unfortunately, the only two things malachite scientifically shares with jasper and/or lapis lazuli is its oxygen content and its banded appearance.

 

✧  **Moonstone**  ✧  
 **They/Them**

 _Canon role_  
Sunstone

 _Components_  
Opal (Pearl + Amethyst) and Steven

 _Gemstone meaning_  
New beginnings, inner growth, strength, calm, intuition, inspiration, success

 _Mineral origins_  
• None!!! Because sunstone, which is a feldspar, shares next to nothing in common with garnet/corundum/quartz/diamond and I'm still salty about that!  
• Moonstone exists purely as a parallel fusion.

 _Personality_  
Moonstone is calm and quietly enthusiastic; more like a teenage therapist than a kids' poster star. They have the ability to break the fourth wall not so much for comedic effect but for cinematic charm. They are loyal and difficult to faze but can be icy when overwhelmed.

 

✧  **Obsidian**  ✧  
 **** **They/Them, She/Her**

 _Canon role_  
Obsidian

 _Components_  
Steven, Ruby, Sapphire, Opal (Pearl + Amethyst)

 _  
Gemstone meaning_  
Truth, calm, growth

 _Mineral origins_  
• Rose quartz is a silica, or silicon dioxide (contains silicon, oxygen), is anhydrous (doesn't contain water), and is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary).  
• Ruby is red corundum, which is an alumina, or aluminium oxide (contains aluminium, oxygen), is anhydrous, and is found in all three types of rock.  
• Sapphire is blue corundum, which is an alumina, is anhydrous, and is found in all three types of rock.  
• Opal is a silica, is hydrous (contains water), and is formed in igneous and sedimentary rock.  
• Obsidian is a volcanic glass made up of silica, magnesium oxide (magnesium, oxygen) and iron oxide (iron, oxygen), is generally hydrous, and is formed in igneous rock. Unfortunately, like alexandrite, it doesn't quite make the cut as a scientifically perfect mineral fusion as it lacks the core elements silicon and carbon (for quartz and diamond, respectively).

 _Personality_  
Obsidian doesn't seem to have much of their own unique personality and present more as a blend of their components. They are stoic and speak little, but are an incredibly powerful and determined force in battle.

 

✧  **Opal**  ✧  
 **She/Her**

 _Canon role_  
Garnet

 _Components_  
Amethyst + Pearl

 _Gemstone meaning_  
Love and passion, desire and eroticism, emotional stability

 _Mineral origins_  
• Pearl is a calcium carbonate (calcium, carbon, oxygen) formed in the presence of water, but is anhydrous (doesn't contain water).  
• Amethyst is a quartz variant, a silica or silicon dioxide (contains silicon, oxygen), is anhydrous, and is found in all three types of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary).  
• Opal is also a silica, but is hydrous (contains water), and is formed in igneous and sedimentary rock. Opal meets the chemical requirements of silicon and oxygen, and the environmental requirement of water, but unfortunately lacks the elements calcium and carbon that would make it a scientifically perfect mineral fusion.

 _Personality_  
Opal starts off as distant and mysterious, but gradually becomes more quirky and playful. She is independent and calm, with a one-track mind that offers her advanced focus and perception. Though she can be forgetful and occasionally over-zealous, she is very sociable and attuned to her fellow Crystal Gems' emotions and is the prominent mother figure of the family, even besting Sapphire's overly protective approach to the son of Rose Quartz. Opal is musical and though she prefers to go with the flow, she can be organised and strategic when the situation calls for it.

* * *

✧ RUNNERS UP ✧

 **Sillimanite**  
 _Components_  
Steven and Ruby  
 _Gemstone meaning_  
Breakthrough, motivation  
 _Mineral origins_  
Anhydrous aluminosilicate.

 **Dumortierite**  
 _Components_  
Sapphire and Opal  
 _Gemstone meaning_  
Intelligence, patience  
 _Mineral origins_  
Hydrous aluminium boro-silicate.


	10. Requests

✧ So I have a request from Spideyfangirl123 on FFnet to have Opal actually dropkick Jasper?? I'm currently trying to figure out a way to yEEt her but I think I'll have to tie it in with another request-

✧ "the cry for help, keystone motel, and friend ship episodes" from scaldera3 on Wattpad

✧ "Amethyst proposing to Pearl." from MaskedCatAngel on Archive Of Our Own

✧ "Do smokey vs Jasper but with ruby" from Thekingofpenguins on Wattpad

✧ "CAN YOU DO WHEN SPINEL SLASHES THE GEMS AND MAKES THEM NOT THEMSELVES AND THEM FUSING AGAIN" from LapisPotato9069 on Wattpad

✧ "Can you do the strong in the real way but with sapphire singing and a ruby Pearl and amethyst Sugalite" from Sagelepleb on Wattpad

✧ "omg imagine that in the opal au steven and opal found the cats from that future vision episode, same conflict except he doesn't know what to expect because she thinks of him as a child and it's unrelated to future vision and instead of kittens, there are puppies... DOG STEVEN" from scaldera3 on Wattpad


End file.
